September 13, 2013

Cory texted me this week from school with news: “first round of laundry easier than I thought and successful.” I love it! His friend Stephen said he did his inaugural load with Spanish music playing in the background as he was channeling our mutual housekeeper from Guatemala. Ingrid, of course, is laughing at the idea that these two were accomplishing this task on their own. We are wondering if these skills will keep up when they are home, or if what happens at college stays at college!

I kept my reading on a really fast pace last weekend and into the week, like I still was on vacation! First up was RASPUTIN’S SHADOW by Raymond Khoury. His character, FBI Agent Sean Reilly, is back and has been drawn into a case where a Russian attaché has committed suicide at the home of a Russian physics professor who has gone missing. Raymond loves weaving historical elements into his work and has done it so well here again. Of course, now I want to read more about Grigory Rasputin. One thing I love about Raymond’s writing is his terrific descriptions that have you feeling you truly are in a place; he clearly does a lot of research, and the details enhance the story. He will be featured in a Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight starting Thursday, September 19th.

Getting ahead in my reading, I delved into THE ASCENDANT, a debut novel by Drew Chapman, which is coming out on January 7th. His Garrett Reilly character (who is not related to the aforementioned Khoury’s Sean Reilly) is a smart guy with a knack for numbers. He works on the Street where his goal is to make money no matter how he does it. He sees the chance to make a killing as he watches some Treasury bonds being sold off at a brisk rate. Something is amiss, and while it’s shady, he sees only a way to make money. All of a sudden, the U.S. military wants him for his skills in cracking the numbers. China is out to take down the United States without one weapon being drawn. It’s wild the way the story comes together, and it is scarily believable how a number of small, seemingly inconsequential things can set off a topple of the economy. It’s a thriller that is so multi-layered that it has its own place in the genre. This book and Chapman are to be watched!

On Monday night, I am going to catch up with Nelson DeMille whose book, THE QUEST, is in stores on Tuesday. So I will be reading it this weekend; I like to be prepared meeting authors like there is a pop quiz happening or something. Nelson tells me this is his favorite book, and I am really going to like it…and I always listen to Nelson. Last week, I had occasion to pass something along to him via snail mail and wanted to scrawl a note with it. The only notecard I had on my desk had a chicken on it. My son watching me write the note said, “Are you kidding? You have NO other note cards here?” Well, there was one with three turquoise eggs in a basket, but thought that was too feminine for Nelson, and since my handwriting looks like chicken scrawl, it really was appropriate. I have no idea where these note cards are from! Note to self: bring more note cards from home to the office! And more on THE QUEST next week.

We’ve also listened to you…and in our ongoing effort to increase the number of nonfiction books we cover on the site, we’re pleased to announce the debut of our “History Books Roundup: Reliving the Past” feature. Each month, my son Greg (who majored in history in college and who, along with my husband, Tom, is a huge history buff) will be taking a look at some of the hardcover and paperback releases in the history genre that stand out to him. Among the books we’re featuring this month are WILSON by A. Scott Berg (which we’re also reviewing this week), FOUNDATION: The History of England from Its Earliest Beginnings to the Tudors, by Peter Ackroyd, and WHEN AMERICA FIRST MET CHINA: An Exotic History of Tea, Drugs, and Money in the Age of Sail, by Eric Jay Dolin.

We also have reviews of both FIVE DAYS AT MEMORIAL: Life and Death in a Storm-Ravaged Hospital and KNOCKING ON HEAVEN'S DOOR: The Path to a Better Way of Death, both nonfiction titles, which were BookExpo America Buzz titles. More on these books in a moment.

September traditionally has been a big month for book releases, but it seems especially busy this year, as evidenced by our review coverage. Last week, we posted 19 reviews; this week, we have 20! We couldn’t keep up this kind of pace without the hard work and dedication of our reviewers, whose thoughtful and compelling commentaries week in and week out have helped contribute enormously to the success and longevity of the site. Grateful thanks from both Tom Donadio and me for their hard work. Now on to those reviews!

W is for…WINNER! Well, not exactly, but our reviewer L. Dean Murphy has wonderful things to say about Sue Grafton’s latest Kinsey Millhone mystery, W IS FOR WASTED. Here, Kinsey investigates two seemingly unrelated deaths: one a murder, the other apparently of natural causes. But as she digs deeper into the mystery of the John Doe, some very strange linkages begin to emerge. And before long, at least one aspect is solved as Kinsey literally finds the key to his identity. Dean has this to say in his review: “While Kinsey has learned to leap hurdles in her career, Sue Grafton has become an Olympic-class pole-vaulter in hers. Impeccable plot, prose as rich as Wall Street, and everyone’s favorite private eye make this a surefire bestseller, Grafton’s greatest novel ever.”

In stores this week is SONGS OF WILLOW FROST, which we’ve been featuring in our Women's Fiction Author Spotlight of Jamie Ford, whose debut novel HOTEL ON THE CORNER OF BITTER AND SWEET was a bestseller when it published in 2009. Jamie once again mines historic Seattle for his second novel. Twelve-year-old William Eng has lived at Sacred Heart Orphanage ever since his mother’s listless body was carried away from their small apartment five years ago. While at the Moore Theatre, William glimpses an actress on the silver screen who goes by the name of Willow Frost and becomes convinced that the movie star is his mother. Norah Piehl has our review and says, “With its frank depiction of the minority experience in the early 20th century and its suspenseful approach to family secrets and lies, the book is also likely to appeal to readers who enjoy the multi-generational novels of Amy Tan.” Norah also had the opportunity to chat with Jamie, and you can read the interview here.

In FIVE DAYS AT MEMORIAL, Sheri Fink, a physician and reporter, reconstructs five days at Memorial Medical Center. After Katrina struck and the floodwaters rose, the power failed, and the heat climbed, exhausted caregivers chose to designate certain patients last for rescue. Months later, several health professionals faced criminal allegations that they deliberately injected numerous patients with drugs to hasten their deaths. FIVE DAYS AT MEMORIAL unspools the mystery of what happened in those days. Reviewer Rebecca Kilberg calls the book “masterfully researched, and despite the chaos of those days, [Fink] is able to create a near 360° view of the days before the last living individuals were rescued from the hospital.”

At the other end of the spectrum is journalist Katy Butler’s KNOCKING ON HEAVEN'S DOOR. In this memoir based on a groundbreaking New York Times Magazine story, Katy ponders her parents’ desires for “Good Deaths” and the forces within medicine that stood in the way. She explores what happens when our terror of death collides with the technological imperatives of medicine. Her provocative thesis is that modern medicine, in its pursuit of maximum longevity, often creates more suffering than it prevents. Reviewer Carole Turner says, “KNOCKING ON HEAVEN’S DOOR is part memoir, part medical history, and part current research. It is a timely and important book that I believe will have a significant impact on its readers.”

Eric Van Lustbader continues his Jack McClure series with the fifth installment, BELOVED ENEMY, a thrilling follow-up to last year’s FATHER NIGHT. Shortly after McClure leaves a late-night meeting with Dennis Paull, the Secretary of Homeland Security, Paull is found dead. The President is furious but equally frightened of a scandal, since McClure is one of their own --- an operative and Paull's friend. With top officials in the CIA and FBI after him, McClure goes on the run. Someone framed him for Paull's murder, possibly to prevent him from accomplishing Paull's last request --- a task vital to U.S. National Security. Kate Ayers has our review and says, “With relentless action, Jack is on a high-stakes chase through the U.S., Bangkok and Switzerland. And with the Alps as a backdrop, it can’t get much more precipitous. Or much more beautiful.”

We also have reviews of Gene Luen Yang’s two new graphic novels, BOXERS and SAINTS, which are available in a boxed set edition. The parallel stories that run throughout each book take place during China’s Boxer Rebellion. As the titles suggest, Yang depicts a tale from each side of the rebellion in these engrossingly complex and engaging books. In fact, John Hogan, our Editorial Director for GraphicNovelReporter.com, believes that both live up --- and in many ways surpass --- the greatness Yang achieved in AMERICAN BORN CHINESE. According to John, "It’s hard to say which is the better book here; in truth, they are both so compelling and well-thought-out that it would be a shame if a reader only read one side of this two-volume story."

In our New Release Spotlight, we turn our attention to THE WRONG GIRL, the second book in Hank Phillippi Ryan’s series featuring Boston newspaper reporter Jane Ryland. In this follow-up to the multi-award-winning THE OTHER WOMAN, Jane suspects that a respected adoption agency is reuniting birth parents with the wrong children. She and detective Jake Brogan are soon on a trail full of twists and turns that takes them deep into the heart of a foster care system in crisis and threatens to blow the lid off an adoption agency scandal. Amie Taylor calls the book “a fascinating novel about the murky situations that occur when children are unable to remain with their birth parents and the circumstances that take place when they're placed with foster and adoptive families.” Hank is one of the warmest and friendliest authors --- and seeing her success makes me smile.

As promised, we’re happy to share interviews with three authors whose books we reviewed last week: Diane Chamberlain (NECESSARY LIES), Dianne Dixon (THE BOOK OF SOMEDAY) and Nancy Bush (NOWHERE SAFE). As always, we so appreciate these authors taking time out of their own busy schedules to answer our questions about their latest works.

The aforementioned THE BOOK OF SOMEDAY is one of three Bookreporter.com Bets On selections that I’m happy to announce this week. The other two are MOONRISE, a gothic romance from Cassandra King, and MY MOTHER'S SECRET by J.L. Witterick. Click on the titles to see why I’m especially excited about these books. Also this week, we have our review of MY MOTHER’S SECRET, courtesy of Jane Krebs, who says, “The beauty of the novel lies in the simplicity of the language and the complexity of the storylines. Each piece is told in a straightforward, almost-childlike manner, belying the layers of information, years and emotions.” Jane saw exactly what I saw that makes this book a Bets On selection.

Our Third Annual Fall Preview contests are back! Next week, we’ll be giving away THE GOOD BOY by Theresa Schwegel (in stores November 5th) and JIM HENSON: The Biography by Brian Jay Jones (in stores September 24th). Our next prize book will be announced this Tuesday, September 17th. If you’d like to be alerted as to when these contests go live, be sure to sign up here to receive the Fall Preview newsletter. Looking for more ways to win books throughout the fall? Then don’t forget to visit our new Fall Showcase feature; contests for these books will be kicking off later in the month.

Our current Word of Mouth contest ends on Friday, September 20th at noon ET. Before then, be sure to let us know what books you’ve read, and you could win the aforementioned BELOVED ENEMY by Eric Van Lustbader and THE QUEST by Nelson DeMille, along with THE LONGEST RIDE by Nicholas Sparks. All you have to do is fill out the form on this page for your chance to win. One important technical note: If you're using an iPad or another iOS device to access the Word of Mouth page and you would like to enter the contest, you must wait for the page to fully load before you can rate your book. Only then will the stars be clickable.

We’ve posted advance reader comments for four books we recently gave away as part of our Author Spotlights. Click on the book titles to see what our contest winners had to say about the aforementioned THE BOOK OF SOMEDAY by Dianne Dixon, in addition to EYE FOR AN EYE by Ben Coes, PLEASE DON’T TELL by Elizabeth Adler and THE RECIPE BOX by Sandra Lee. Many thanks to all who shared their comments and feedback with us!

I had friends in town last weekend, so sadly, I could not attend Hachette Reading Group Day in New York on Saturday. Fortunately, though, I was able to get reports from two readers who were there: Valerie from Secaucus, NJ attended this event for a second time with six members of her book group, “Red Pages Book Club,” and Diana from Staten Island, NY, whose sister accompanied her. They all had a wonderful time, and the very detailed accounts of their experiences made me wish I had been there to enjoy the festivities with them. Next year! We’ll be sure to keep you posted on details so more of you can attend as well.

While we have a HUGE number of reviews each week, do keep in mind our “On Sale This Week” newsletter, which comes out on Tuesdays and lists hardcover and paperback books coming out that week and the following week. Since we cannot review every title, this is a great way to stay on top of more books being published. Sign up here.

I got this fun note from Eleanor, one of our readers, that appealed to my love of turquoise: “My son was one of 2 production managers at a very expensive party to celebrate the reopening of Hermes Beverly Hills Boutique, I thought of you. It starts with a $12,900 TURQUOISE shade basketball, turquoise leather wine carrier (a remake of one that was made for Sammy Davis Jr), men in T. Hermes swim trunks and ladies in T. Hermes suit and bathing caps. They were synchronized swimmers with no water.” Sounds like my kind of a party!

Cory is headed home for at least one day this weekend to work with my husband on a huge engineering project that he has in progress. He has negotiated the following pay structure for this: money, a homemade dinner and a load of laundry done for him (there goes my dream of being laundry-free). Greg is running an event in Rhode Island for the New England Lighthouse Lovers, where he has laid out a really nice itinerary.

W IS FOR WASTED by Sue Grafton (Mystery)
Kinsey Millhone investigates two seemingly unrelated deaths: one a murder, the other apparently of natural causes. But as she digs deeper into the mystery of the John Doe, some very strange linkages begin to emerge. And before long, at least one aspect is solved as Kinsey literally finds the key to his identity. Reviewed by L. Dean Murphy.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.

Jamie Ford follows up his bestselling debut novel, HOTEL ON THE CORNER OF BITTER AND SWEET, with his second work of fiction, SONGS OF WILLOW FROST. William Eng, an orphan who becomes convinced that movie star Willow Frost is his mother, escapes from his orphanage with his friend Charlotte, and together they embark on an emotional journey of discovery. In this interview with Bookreporter.com’s Norah Piehl, Ford talks about why he decided to set his story in Seattle during the 1920s and 1930s, and the very personal reason he enjoys creating young characters on the brink of adolescence. He also opens up about the impact his childhood as a half-Chinese, half-Caucasian kid has on his work, and how writing about Chinese American history helps him take ownership of his own identity.

SONGS OF WILLOW FROST by Jamie Ford (Historical Fiction)
Twelve-year-old William Eng has lived at Seattle’s Sacred Heart Orphanage ever since his mother’s listless body was carried away from their small apartment five years ago. On his birthday --- or rather, the day the nuns designate as his birthday --- William and the other orphans are taken to the historical Moore Theatre, where William glimpses an actress on the silver screen who goes by the name of Willow Frost. Struck by her features, William is convinced that the movie star is his mother. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read a review.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here for the reading group guide.
-Click here to read Jamie Ford’s bio.
-Click here to visit Jamie Ford’s official website.
-Connect with Jamie Ford on Facebook and Twitter.
-Click here to see the 50 winners who were selected to read and comment on the book.
-Click here to read more in our Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight.

THE WRONG GIRL by Hank Phillippi Ryan (Thriller)
Does a respected adoption agency have a frightening secret? Tipped off by a determined ex-colleague on a desperate quest to find her birth mother, Boston newspaper reporter Jane Ryland begins to suspect that the agency is engaging in the ultimate betrayal --- reuniting birth parents with the wrong children.

For detective Jake Brogan and his partner, a young woman’s brutal murder seems a sadly predictable case of domestic violence, one that results in two toddlers being shuttled into the foster care system. Then Jake finds an empty cradle at the murder scene. Where is the baby who should have been sleeping there?

Jane and Jake are soon on a trail full of twists and turns that takes them deep into the heart of a foster care system in crisis and threatens to blow the lid off an adoption agency scandal. When the threatening phone calls start, Jane knows she is on the right track…but with both a killer at large and an infant missing, time is running out….

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read a review.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read Hank Phillippi Ryan’s bio.
-Click here to visit Hank Phillippi Ryan’s official website.
-Connect with Hank Phillippi Ryan on Facebook and Twitter.

Diane Chamberlain is the bestselling author of 22 novels published in more than 11 languages. Her most recent book, NECESSARY LIES, is set in rural Grace County, North Carolina, in a time of state-mandated sterilizations and racial tension. In this interview with Bookreporter.com’s Alexis Burling, Chamberlain talks about why she felt so strongly about taking on the topic of eugenics, despite (or maybe because of) the controversy surrounding it. She also addresses the difficulties inherent in writing a first-person character in dialect, how her own experiences as a social worker and psychotherapist helped her create the character of Jane, and why the plots of so many of her novels hinge on moments in which her characters are forced to “face the truth.”

NECESSARY LIES by Diane Chamberlain (Historical Fiction)
Set in rural Grace County, North Carolina, in a time of state-mandated sterilizations and racial tension, NECESSARY LIES tells the story of two young women, seemingly worlds apart, but both haunted by tragedy. A social worker and a 15-year-old are thrown together and must ask themselves: how can you know what you believe is right, when everyone is telling you it’s wrong? Reviewed by Alexis Burling.
 

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read a review.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read Diane Chamberlain’s bio.
-Connect with Diane Chamberlain on Facebook and Twitter.
-Click here to see the 35 winners who were selected to read and comment on the book.
-Click here to read more in our Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight.

Screenwriter Dianne Dixon is the author of the highly acclaimed THE LANGUAGE OF SECRETS and, most recently, THE BOOK OF SOMEDAY, which introduces readers to Livvi Gray, who has always been haunted by a terrifying nightmare of an eerily beautiful stranger in a shimmering silver dress. In this interview, Dixon answers questions from Bookreporter.com’s Sarah Rachel Egelman, including the very personal inspiration behind Livvi’s nightmare and the challenges of writing a novel from three different perspectives. She also opens up about why it seemed only natural to include faith and spirituality as central themes in her story, how penning a novel is different from writing a screenplay, and her very own “someday.”

THE BOOK OF SOMEDAY by Dianne Dixon (Fiction)
California girl Livvi Gray has always been haunted by a terrifying nightmare of an eerily beautiful stranger in a shimmering silver dress. Shortly before Livvi’s 30th birthday, she will come face to face with the stranger from her dream, an encounter that will not only alter her future, but change much of what she thinks she knows about the past. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.

Bestselling author Nancy Bush has been writing for over 30 years. In her latest book, NOWHERE SAFE, she confronts readers with the question of who’s more frightening: sexual predators or a vigilante hell bent on making them atone --- in blood? In this interview with Bookreporter.com’s Kate Ayers, Bush discusses the surprising reason it’s actually easier to write violent scenes, why she enjoys having her characters cross from one novel to another, and how writing for daytime television is like writing in front of a runaway train. Although she’s known for her bestselling thriller series, Bush got her start in romance, and she talks here about why that was and how she successfully has moved between genres.

NOWHERE SAFE by Nancy Bush (Romantic Suspense)
Who’s more frightening: a sexual predator or a vigilante hell bent on making them atone --- in blood? Detective September Rafferty finds herself drawn into a harrowing and deeply personal case, and this time there are no innocents --- only the one who kills, and those condemned to die. Reviewed by Kate Ayers.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read a review.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read Nancy Bush’s bio.
-Click here to visit Nancy Bush’s official website.
-Connect with Nancy Bush on Facebook and Twitter.

-Click here to see the 25 winners who were selected to read and comment on the book.

FIVE DAYS AT MEMORIAL: Life and Death in a Storm-Ravaged Hospital by Sheri Fink (Sociology)
Physician and reporter Sheri Fink reconstructs five days at Memorial Medical Center. After Katrina struck and the floodwaters rose, the power failed, and the heat climbed, exhausted caregivers chose to designate certain patients last for rescue. Months later, several health professionals faced criminal allegations that they deliberately injected numerous patients with drugs to hasten their deaths. FIVE DAYS AT MEMORIAL unspools the mystery of what happened in those days. Reviewed by Rebecca Kilberg.

-Click here to read more about the book.

KNOCKING ON HEAVEN'S DOOR: The Path to a Better Way of Death by Katy Butler (Memoir)
Valerie, the author's mother, struggled for several years caring for her handicapped husband, Jeff, after his debilitating stroke. Jeff's pacemaker kept his heart beating long after his body and mind had worn out. Eventually he succumbed to pneumonia. Valerie, a cancer survivor, decided not to choose open-heart surgery to repair her life-threatening condition. KNOCKING ON HEAVEN’S DOOR asks the hard questions: How much medical intervention is too much? And when is it appropriate for the patient and family members to decide to let nature take its inevitable course? Reviewed by Carole Turner.

-Click here to read more about the book.

BELOVED ENEMY: A Jack McClure Novel by Eric Van Lustbader (Thriller)
Shortly after Jack McClure leaves a late-night meeting with Dennis Paull, the Secretary of Homeland Security, Paull is found dead. The President is furious but equally frightened of a scandal, since McClure is one of their own --- an operative and Paull's friend. With top officials in the CIA and FBI after him, McClure goes on the run. Someone framed him for Paull's murder, possibly to prevent him from accomplishing Paull's last request --- a task vital to U.S. National Security. Reviewed by Kate Ayers.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to visit Eric Van Lustbader’s official website.

THE WEDDING GIFT by Marlen Suyapa Bodden (Historical Fiction)
When Cornelius Allen gives his daughter Clarissa’s hand in marriage, he presents her with a wedding gift: the young slave she grew up with, Sarah. Sarah is also Allen’s daughter and Clarissa’s sister, a product of his longtime relationship with his house slave, Emmeline. When Clarissa’s husband suspects that their newborn son is illegitimate, Clarissa and Sarah are sent back to her parents, Cornelius and Theodora, in shame, setting in motion a series of events that will destroy this once powerful family.

Told through alternating viewpoints of Sarah and Theodora Allen, Cornelius’ wife, THE WEDDING GIFT is a stunning novel that shows where the complicated and compelling bonds and relationships between women explored in novels like THE HELP and THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES began. It is an intimate portrait that shows where this particular American story and dynamic all started and will leave readers breathless.

-Click here to read an excerpt.

-Click here to read Marlen Suyapa Bodden’s bio.

MADDADDAM by Margaret Atwood (Dystopian/Speculative Fiction)
Bringing together ORYX AND CRAKE and THE YEAR OF THE FLOOD, this final book in Margaret Atwood's speculative fiction trilogy points toward the ultimate endurance of community and love. MADDADDAM combines adventure, humor and romance to create a moving and dramatic conclusion to this internationally celebrated dystopian series. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.

-Click here for the reading group guide.

WILSON by A. Scott Berg (Biography)
One hundred years after his inauguration, Woodrow Wilson still stands as one of the most influential figures of the 20th century, and one of the most enigmatic. Now, after more than a decade of research and writing, Pulitzer Prize-winning author A. Scott Berg has completed the most personal and penetrating biography ever written about the 28th President. Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman.

-Click here to read an excerpt.

SOMEONE by Alice McDermott (Fiction)
An ordinary life --- its sharp pains and unexpected joys, its bursts of clarity and moments of confusion --- lived by an ordinary woman: this is the subject of SOMEONE, Alice McDermott’s extraordinary return, seven years after the publication of AFTER THIS. Scattered recollections --- of childhood, adolescence, motherhood and old age --- come together in this transformative narrative, stitched into a vibrant whole by McDermott’s deft, lyrical voice. Reviewed by Jennifer Romanello.

-Click here for the reading group guide.

ROBERT B. PARKER’S DAMNED IF YOU DO: A Jesse Stone Novel by Michael Brandman (Mystery)
The woman on the bed was barely out of her teens. She wasn’t exactly beautiful, but she’d tried to make the most of her looks. And now, alone in a seedy beachfront motel, she was dead. Paradise Police Chief Jesse Stone doesn’t know her name. Whoever she is, she didn’t deserve to die. Jesse starts digging, only to find himself caught in the crosshairs of a bitter turf war between two ruthless pimps. And more blood will spill before it’s over. Reviewed by Maggie Harding.

-Click here to read an excerpt.

NINE INCHES: Stories by Tom Perrotta (Fiction/Short Stories)
NINE INCHES, Tom Perrotta’s first true collection, features 10 stories --- some sharp and funny, some mordant and surprising, and a few intense and disturbing. Whether he’s dropping into the lives of two teachers --- and their love lost and found --- in “Nine Inches,” or documenting the unraveling of a dad at a Little League game in “The Smile on Happy Chang’s Face,” Perrotta writes with a sure sense of his characters and their secret longings. Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg.

THE CHILDHOOD OF JESUS by J. M. Coetzee (Fiction)
J. M. Coetzee’s allegorical new novel tells the story of David, a boy of around five who sails to the Spanish-speaking town of Novilla in search of his mother. A man named Simón, also aboard the ship, looks after the boy and helps him in his quest. The result is a novel that is part philosophy, part adventure, and a thoughtful questioning of the meaning and wisdom of the gospels. Reviewed by Michael Magras.

THE THIRD KINGDOM: A Richard and Kahlan Novel by Terry Goodkind (Fantasy/Adventure)
In this sequel to THE OMEN MACHINE, the bloodthirsty Jit is dead, and Richard and Kahlan have survived. But Richard, infected with the essence of death itself and robbed of his power as a war wizard, must race against time to uncover and stop the infernal conspiracy assembling itself behind the wall far to the north. His friends and allies are already captives of this fell combination, and Kahlan, also touched by death's power, will die completely if Richard fails. Reviewed by Stephen Hubbard.

THE THICKET by Joe R. Lansdale (Western)
When a traveling group of bank-robbing bandits murder Jack's grandfather and kidnap his sister, Jack must grow up fast and enlist a band of heroes the likes of which has never been seen if his sister stands any chance at survival. But the best he can come up with is a charismatic, bounty-hunting dwarf, a grave-digging son of an ex-slave, and a street-smart woman-for-hire who has come into some very intimate knowledge about the bandits (and a few members of Jack's extended family to boot). Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

BETWEEN A MOTHER AND HER CHILD by Elizabeth Noble (Fiction)
From catastrophe on a world scale to family tragedy... In Elizabeth Noble's affecting new novel, her seventh, a beloved son is lost to a killer tidal wave. It's every parent's deepest fear, yet this story also glows with love, hope, and faith in our ability to survive the worst life can throw at us. Reviewed by Kathy Weissman.

HOTSHOT by Julie Garwood (Romance)
Peyton Lockhart and her sisters have inherited Bishop’s Cove, a small, luxurious oceanfront resort, but it comes with a condition: The girls must run the resort for one year and show a profit --- only then will they own it. There are countless challenges and too many people who want to stop the sisters from succeeding. So Peyton calls on her childhood friend and protector, Finn MacBain, now with the FBI, and asks for his help. Reviewed by Hillary Wagy.

BITTER RIVER by Julia Keller (Mystery)
County prosecuting attorney Bell Elkins's latest case is a bad one: pregnant 16-year-old Lucinda Trimble’s body has been found at the bottom of Bitter River, and she was dead before she hit the water. But that’s not all Bell is coping with these days: her daughter is now living hours away with her ex-husband, one of her closest friends is behaving oddly, and a face from her past has resurfaced. Searching for the truth will lead Bell down a path that could put her very life at risk. Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon.

BREED by Chase Novak (Gothic Horror)
Alex and Leslie Twisden want a child so badly that they will do anything, no matter the cost, to make it happen. When their parental dreams come true, what they end up living is a nightmare with no escape and greater ramifications than anyone ever thought possible. As the Twisden children grow, so do a few parental urges that are absolutely horrifying and very difficult to ignore. Reviewed by Amy Gwiazdowski Minchak.

BOXERS & SAINTS BOXED SET by Gene Luen Yang (Graphic Novel)
Gene Luen Yang tells two sides of the story in his two new books. SAINTS is the tale of a young girl growing up unwanted in late 19th-century China. She’s so unwanted, and considered so unlucky, that she isn’t even given a proper name…she’s simply called Four-Girl (because she's the fourth child). In BOXERS, a young man named Bao is frustrated with the constant onslaught of foreign missionaries who proclaim to be teaching religion but instead are thieves and bullies. They mercilessly rob and threaten Bao’s peasant countrymen and show no remorse. Reviewed by John Hogan.