Category: books

The Homecoming, by Stacie Ramey

 

the-homecoming
Image belongs to Sourcebooks Fire.

Stacie Ramey has a degree in speech pathology and works with autistic children. Her newest book, The Homecoming, is a young adult novel.

John has nowhere to go but home. Since his mother kicked him out, he’s gotten into trouble with the law, developed a talent for trouble, and bounced from relative to relative. Now “home” is the one place he doesn’t want to be, but it’s the only place he can be.

Starting over again at his old school is more than John can handle. The ruins of his family are tangled up in this town, and being back brings the tragedies of John’s past to damaged life every day. He tries to focus on lacrosse, but between his broken family and his anger issues, even sports aren’t enough to tame his dragon. Then he meets Emily, the girl next door, and starts to wonder if anyone can love the broken mess he’s become.

I’m not usually a fan of male-narrated young adult stories, but The Homecoming is an exception. I didn’t realize this was a companion novel to The Sister Pact (which I haven’t read). John is a compelling narrator, very troubled and broken, but only slowly aware of his brokenness. He grows so much during this novel, and the reader gets to see all of those changes and experience them with John. I really enjoyed this book.

 

(Galley provided by Sourcebooks Fire via NetGalley.)

Humble Roots, by Hannah Anderson

humble-roots
I do not own this image. Image belongs to Moody Publishers.

Hannah Anderson‘s new book, Humble Roots, came out last month.

In it, Hannah talks about pursuing a life of peace and humility. But this is not a book entirely composed of theological lectures or Bible verses. Though the book is rooted in Jesus’s teaching, Hannah also talks about lessons learned in her life in a small Virginia town as a rural pastor’s wife. From an elderly neighbor bringing gifts of honey to rogue green bean plants, Hannah uses simple lessons from her own life to speak about the value of finding both peace and humility.

This is a peaceful book, fitting since it is about peace. It evokes a sense of calm, as well as encourages the reader’s introspection and exploration into lessons learned from the Son of God.

(Galley provided by Moody Publishers.)

A Whole Latte Murder, by Caroline Fardig

a-whole-latte-murder
I do not own this image. Image belongs to Alibi.

Caroline Fardig is the author of the Java Jive Mysteries series. The newest novel, A Whole Latte Murder, hit shelves last week.

Juliet’s life has been looking up. Business at Java Jive, the coffee shop she runs, is booming. Her romance with hot cop Ryder is heating up. And she hasn’t found any dead bodies in weeks. Then Ryder gets promoted to homicide, and Juliet’s happiness turns to fear, as she contemplates his involvement with the worst kind of criminals.

Worse yet, girls are going missing in Nashville, and the city is on edge. Chelsea, Juliet’s neighbor, is especially nervous, and Juliet tries to calm her fears. But when Juliet finds Chelsea dead, she ends up right in the middle of Ryder’s first homicide investigation, a situation neither of them are happy about. Then Pete, Juliet’s best friend, winds up in the mix as one of the coffee shop employees goes missing. Now Juliet and Pete want to help find her, and all Ryder wants is Juliet to stay out of the way. What’s a girl to do when a killer’s on the loose?

The Java Jive books are a fantastic series of books. Light-hearted and funny, with plenty of pitfalls and antics, they are sure to have the reader laughing. A Whole Latte Murder is no exception, as Juliet continues to be a magnet for trouble and her curiosity keeps landing her in hot water. A fun, entertaining murder mystery!

(Galley provided by Alibi via NetGalley.)

Nutshell, by Ian McEwan

nutshell
I do not own this image. Image belongs to Doubleday.

Ian McEwan is an award-winning English author. His most recent novel is Nutshell.

Trudy left her husband, John, making him leave the dilapidated but priceless family home in London. John is a poet, a romantic dreamer that Trudy once loved madly. Now she loves Claude, John’s banal, boring brother. But taking Trudy from John isn’t enough for Claude:  he wants John’s life as well.

There’s just one problem, the witness to their plan. The nine-month-old resident of Trudy’s womb, her son with John.

Nutshell is written from the most interesting perspective I’ve ever read:  that of an unborn—but very aware—baby. Trudy and Claude are unlikeable characters, but the baby is fascinating. That viewpoint alone makes this book worth reading, but the book is very well-written, and will keep the reader guessing until the end.

(Galley provided by Doubleday via NetGalley.)

Unfolding, by Jonathan Friesen

unfolding
I do not own this image. Image belongs to Blink.

 

Jonathan Friesen is a former teacher’s pet who wrote his first novel while his students were working. Unfolding is his newest novel.

Jonah has a tough life in tiny Gullary, Oklahoma. He has a debilitating physical condition and epilepsy, which keeps him on the outside of many things. His parents are distant. He’s in love with his next-door neighbor, the troubled Stormi, deposited here as an infant when a tornado touched down. The same tornado that destroyed the Supermax prison where Jonah now works—the only employee—as an occasional tour guide and the caretaker for the prison’s solitary inmate, the mysterious Tres.

Stormi is carefree and vibrant, everything Jonah wishes he could be. She’s also different, a difference the town notices when she senses things before they happen, averting tragedy—or not. When Stormi senses she should leave town to find safety, Jonah is drawn in her wake as they struggle to find out the truth behind what happened in Gullary so long ago, and left the town scarred and harboring a darkness Jonah can only imagine.

This book. I couldn’t put it down. Seriously. I would have finished it in one sitting except I’m not independently wealthy and had to go to work. From the opening sentence to the final line, I was completely spellbound. Jonah is a fantastic character:  he’s physically struggling, but emotionally strong, and this story is so firmly in his viewpoint I felt like I was experiencing every stumble and seizure. Stormi is full of life and mystery, and their interactions leap off the page. You should definitely read this!

(Galley provided by Blink via NetGalley.)

The Scent of Salt and Sand, by P.C. and Kristin Cast

 

sss
I do not own this image. Image belongs to Diversion Books.

 

P.C. and Kristin Cast are a mother-daughter writing team. They wrote the NYT best-selling House of Night series. The Scent of Salt and Sand is a novella in their Escaped series.

The walls separating Tartarus have fallen, and now monsters from Greek mythology have escaped to the mortal world. The Sirens are part of the escapees. Bound for centuries because of their bloodlust, greed, and murders, the Sirens now run Siren Tours for tourists to Alcatraz, where they find their prey.

It’s Melody’s first time in the mortal realm, and she doesn’t want to be there. She’s different from the other Sirens:  she doesn’t like blood, she has no interest in murder, and she hears specters in the water. Then she meets Dean, who becomes her assigned target, and falls in love. Can she keep Dean safe from her monstrous family, or has their love doomed them both?

So…I like P.C. and Kristin Cast. I enjoy their writing, which has a decidedly young adult slant. I’ve met them both, and they’re very bubbly and funny. I’m a fan of P.C.’s Goddess Summoning series, as well as The House of Night. I have not read either of the books in this series. I enjoyed most of this novella. The Sirens have always fascinated me, and their move in the real world is well-done. However, I really didn’t care for the ending of The Scent of Salt and Sand. At all. I intend to read Amber Smoke, but I’m pretty undecided about reading any more about the Sirens.

(Galley provided by Diversion books via NetGalley.)

Running Man, by Charlie Engle

running-man
I do not own this image. Image belongs to Scribner.

Running Man is the autobiography of Charlie Engle, a former drug addict and ultra-runner who spent time in prison for mortgage fraud.

Charlie Engle got involved with drinking at a young age, and soon developed a taste for drugs as well. He forgot his love of running in the haze of drinking and drugs, his life a roller-coaster ride of near-misses, unconvincing excuses, and a struggle to keep it—whatever “it” was—together. He was only partially successful, until his son Brett was born. A few months later, Charlie started running again, in an effort to fuel his sobriety.

Marathons and ultra-marathons soon left Charlie unsatisfied, so he turned to adventure-racing and found his niche. Raising money to support causes he believed in had Charlie traveling the globe and tackling the biggest challenges of his life, including running the Sahara Desert. Then Charlie landed in prison for mortgage fraud, and he had to re-build his life from scratch, not a task for the faint-of-heart.

Running Man is for more than runners. This book will inspire anyone who has ever struggled to overcome a problem, from a physical injury or illness, to bad decisions or betrayal by someone they trusted. A powerful, moving story of one man’s fight to overcome his past as he forges his life into the future he wants, not what the world wants for him. You should definitely read this if you need inspiration for anything!

(Galley provided by Scribner via NetGalley.)

What I Read in September

labyrinth-lost

Labyrinth Lost, by Zoraida Cordova (Read to review.). Loved this!

Madame Bovary, by Gustave Flaubert (Read for school, and as one of my classics for the month.)

cutter-boy

Cutter Boy, by Cristy Watson (Read to review.). Quick, good read about a difficult topic.

darcy-moon

Darcy Moon and the Aroona Frogs, by Catherine Carvell (Read to review.) I didn’t realize this was a middle-grade book, but it was enjoyable, with a good message.

the-sunlight-pilgrims

The Sunlight Pilgrims, by Jenni Fagan (Read to review.) Wow. This novel is extremely well-done! Unique setting, and the characters are fascinating.

tracing-the-bones

Tracing the Bones, by Elise Miller (Read to review.) This book was both intriguing and painful to read.

Oedipus Rex, by Sophocles (Read for school). Read it before. It still bores me.

Scary Close, by Donald Miller (My spiritual book for the month.)

What We’ll Do for Blood, by C.L. Mannarino

what-well-do-for-blood
I do not own this image. Image belongs to C.L. Mannarino.

C.L. Mannarino lives in Massachusetts, and writes about family, friendship, and things that go bump in the night. The first novel in her Almost Human series is What We’ll Do for Blood.

Scott Whitney just wants to survive his final exams and finish up his senior year of high school. He has a great girlfriend, but dreams of getting away from his status-conscious family and going to college. He doesn’t fit into his family’s perfect little lives, although that doesn’t stop Scott from trying.

While celebrating his father’s promotion, Scott meets Maria, his father’s gorgeous co-worker. Soon, Maria is at the house all the time, helping his father, bonding with his mother, and setting Scott’s teeth on edge. Then one night, Scott finds Maria drinking his father’s blood, and he realizes he has no idea what’s going on. Scott is determined to save his father, despite Maria’s efforts to keep him quiet.  Family has always been important to Scott, but now “blood” takes on a whole new meaning.

 s set in 1989, so there’s no cell phones to call for help, and no internet to scour for information. This is a very diverse book, not the typical YA vampire fare, and Scott is an out-of-the-ordinary hero. This book is less Twilight, and more Interview with the Vampire, not bothering to romanticize vampires and instead putting a great character front and center.

(I was contacted by the author to do an impartial review of this novel.)

The Tea Planter’s Wife, by Dinah Jeffries

tpw
I do not own this image. Image belongs to Crown Publishing.

Dinah Jeffries was born in Malaysia but moved to England at age nine. Her newest novel is The Tea Planter’s Wife.

Gwen arrives in Ceylon full of anticipation and fear:  newly married after a whirlwind courtship, now she joins her husband, Laurence, on his tea plantation. Ceylon is so much more than Gwen ever imagined:  a lush, other-worldly paradise filled with racial conflict and secrets. Lots of secrets.

Like the hidden grave she finds near the house. And the trunk of old baby clothes. Laurence won’t talk about these secrets, and soon Gwen is wrapped up in her pregnancy and a secret of her own. These secrets put up a wall between Gwen and Laurence, one that leads to more secrets, lies and manipulation, and a tragedy of the worst sort.

Some books leave you speechless and emotionally reeling. This was one of those books. Ceylon is so vivid and brimming with life I could almost smell the flowers and the tea. Gwen and Laurence are flawed and frightened, but love each other so much and so deeply as their relationship grows. Their secrets haunt them both through every page of the book. This book is a phenomenal, emotional rollercoaster!

(Galley provided by Crown Publishing.)