June, 2012

"The Ultimate Survival Manual" Rich Johnson         

Earthquakes, cave-ins, bear attacks and everything else you can think of (except the zombie apocalypse) is covered in this interesting book that blends advice and humor.  It contains a number of illustrations, stories and comic strips designed to emphasize how to survive.  Overall, I thought this book was both fun and educational, a nice mix.

"Beneath the Shadows" by Sara Foster         

Grace, Adam and their newborn moved to an isolated cottage in order to take a break from their hectic London life.  A week after moving Adam disappears without a trace, leaving their newborn in her stroller on the doorstep.  A year later, Grace returns to the cottage, determine to find out what really happened with Adam.  What she discovers is more complex and complicated than she ever expected.         

This was a fast-paced mystery novel.  Some of the characters seemed a bit flat, but overall they were likable and interesting.  The plot moved at a good speed and kept the reader interested.  There were a number of twists and turns that left you wondering what would happen next.  Overall, this was a pretty good read.

"Crazy Dangerous" by Andrew Klavan         

Sam has fallen in with a group of car thieves and thugs.  One day he seems them picking on Jennifer.  Sam faces down the bullies and finds himself starting a friendship with Jennifer.  Jennifer has auditory and visual hallucinations, which Sam soon begins to believe are prophecies of something terrible to come.         

Overall, this was a very interesting book.  Reading from Jennifer's point of view made me feel a bit crazy, which shows how skillful the author is able to write.  Sam was also an interesting character, one easy to like.

"Rape Girl" by Alina Klein         

After being raped by one of the popular boys at school Valerie breaks down in tears and tells her mom.  The police are called, a medical exam is taken and Valerie is left with a sense of hurt and guilt.  After her best friend dumps her and the school turns against her, Valerie sinks into depression and wonders if the whole thing is even worth it.  With the help of a new friend and a support group Valerie is able to make it through the injustices that occurred after the rape.

     This was a very powerful and moving story.  I hope that lots of young or teenage girls read it and realize that they can tell somebody about what happened.  It takes courage to speak up and face your abuser, and I found this story empowering.

"Can You Survive in the Special Forces"by Matt Doeden         

I have always loved the "choose your own adventure" books, and this one is no exception.  It allows the reader to choose between three branches of the Special Forces and then provides in-depth knowledge about that branch.  It shows the difficult choices one must make and provides outcomes based on your choose.  The book is geared more towards boys than girls; however it is very well written, and will entertain and delight anyone. 

"The Devil's Madonna" by Sharon Potts         SPOILERS!!!  

When Kali's 93 year old grandmother Lillian almost kills herself lighting candles, Kali moves in temporarily with her.  Lillian is a bit paranoid and is convinced that someone is after her.  The story shows glimpses of Lillian's life in 1930's Berlin where she meets a Professor who helps her with her acting career.  It turns out that Lillian's lover was Hitler in disguise and that he painted a portrait of her with a child.  She had four arms in the shape of a swastika.  Hitler's minion is searching for the painting, believing it will show that the holocaust never happened.  

I thought this plot twist made no sense whatsoever.    How in the world would a painting of a woman with arms in the shape of a swastika prove that Hitler was a loving caring person?  I liked the book right up until that moment, which I found to be completely unrealistic.  The improbability of the book's ending just made me shake my head.  Although I enjoyed her writing style and characters, the ending of the book was just absurd.  I don't think I could recommend this book to others.

"Woman at the Light" by Joanna Brady         

Emily Lowry and her family tend to an isolated lighthouse off the coast of Key West.  When her husband mysteriously vanishes, Emily decides to take over his duties.  Once discovering that she is pregnant, she is determined to hide her condition and maintain her job.  When a runaway slave washes up on the beach, Emily is at first wary, then accepting of his offer to help.  Soon she finds herself relying on Andrew and slowly falling in love with him.  When they are separated due to a hurricane, she is devastated, believing Andrew and her baby daughter were lost.         

I thought this was an extremely interesting book.  It showed me life in the 1840's, the prejudices of the time and the development of Key West.  It was very well written and the characters were interesting and engaging.  The plot moved at a nice pace and characters were well developed.  Overall, this was a great book, one I highly recommend.

"Andersonville: The Last Depot" by William Marvel         

During the Civil War, Union prisoners were sent to a number of prisons, including Andersonville.  The number of prisoners climbed exponentially and over 13,000 prisoners died.  From lack of space, hygiene, medical facilities and food rations it was easier to die than survive.  

This book provides a fairly balanced account of the prison.  It does not gloss over the horrid facts, but it is also quick to point out that Union prisons employed many of the same methods and practices that Andersonville employed.  The book provided numerous first-hand stories and accounts, which were fascinating.  This book was not dry or boring, but rather very well paced.  It kept my attention throughout and provided unique historical details.  Overall, highly recommended.

"The Baby Experiment" by Anne Dublin         

Set in 1700 Germany, Johanna is a Jewish girl looking for work.  She lies about her Jewish heritage in order to get a job as a caregiver at an orphanage.  However, there are some unusual rules in place, including that the babies cannot be spoken too or comforted.  When babies start dying off, Johanna kidnaps one of the babies and fleas to Amsterdam.         

This was a very short book.  Everything seemed a bit too easy for Johanna, and she did not run into any significant problems while fleeing with the child.  I also thought the characters were a bit flat and one-dimensional.  Overall, I thought the premise of the book was interesting, but it did not live up to my expectations.

"Summer of Secrets" by Charlotte Hubbard         

Willow Ridge is a small Amish town where the Old Ways are practiced.  The Sweet Seasons Cafe is run by the Lantz family.  When a long-lost Lantz daughter shows up with black spiky hair and a skull tattoo, life is thrown into turmoil and the community is shocked and immediately reacts.         

I am not entirely sure whether or not I enjoyed this book.  The story was interesting but the character development was very inconsistent.  In the first half of the book Rachel hated her newly found sister and then in the second half of the book her attitude and opinions completely changed.  The author did not show the transition or change of feelings very well.  In addition, most of the main characters were a bit bland and uninteresting.  I don't think I would read another book in the series.

"A Trace of Smoke" by Rebecca Cantrell         

1931 Berlin is a city in flux.  The Nazi's are coming to power, and crime reporter Hannah Vogel finds herself juggling a myriad of secrets.  Hannah finds her brother's photograph in the Hall of the Unnamed Dead and a five year old shows up on her doorstep the next day.  Anton, the child, claims that Hannah is his mother and that her dead brother is her father.  After some investigating, Hannah learns that a high ranking Nazi is claiming that Anton is his son, in order to deflect claims of homosexuality.          

This was a very well written book.  The characters are interesting and endearing and the plot moves at a very swift.  I think I have found a new series to read!  Overall, I found this book to be a fascinating combination of history and mystery.  I think I have found a new series to read!

"Night of Long Knives" by Rebecca Cantrell         

This is the second book in the Hannah Vogel series.  Although Hannah is determined not to return to Germany, she is helpless with the zeppelin she and her son are riding on is diverted to Munich.  Hannah and her son Anton are kidnapped and immediately separated.  Ernst Rohm, Anton's father, is thwarted in his attempts to force Hannah to marry him when he is executed by the Nazi's.  After gaining her freedom, Hannah immediately begins to search for her son.          

I thought this was a very well written book.  The characters and plot were interesting and engaging.  I do think that the author threw some character background in that was completely left out of the first book.  For example, the first book mentions nothing about Hannah serving as a nurse during WWI.  These kinds of add-ins make me think that the author wrote the first book without considering Hannah's past.  Despite this, I highly enjoyed the book and will continue to read the series.

"A Game of Lies" by Rebecca Cantrell         

In the third book in the series, Hannah has returned to Germany under a different name in order to report on the 1936 Olympics.  When her friend Peter Weill is murdered, she begins a dangerous search to uncover his secrets.  Hannah must also deal with her cover, SS officer Lars Lang, and their turbulent relationship.          

I thought this book was not as interesting as the others.  The plot line was a bit weak and everything just fell seamlessly into place right at the end.  Further, I'm concerned that the character may have brain damage, this is the third book, and the third time she has a concussion.  I think the author should lay off some of the injuries, or at least change them around a bit more.  Despite my criticisms, it wasn't bad for a third book in a series.  The characters were flushed out a bit more and you could follow their growth and evolution.  I still like the series, but this is probably my least favor.

"Thieftaker" by D. B. Jackson         

This book takes place in Boston in 1767.  There is a lot of unrest between the British Crown and the American colonies.  Ethan, a thieftaker, has some abilities that allow him to sense and use magic.  When he is hired to recover a necklace worn by a murder victim, he is a bit uneasy, but immediately takes the opportunity to work for the wealthy and prominent family.          

I found myself a bit bored with this book.  The magic system seemed only half developed, or perhaps just not unique.  The characters were a bit flat and one dimensional.  I'm sure fantasy and history fans will be intrigued by the premise of the book.  I'm just not sure it lives up to the expectations.

"The Far Side of the Sky" by Daniel Kalla         

This book is written from the point of view of two different characters.  Franz is a gifted surgeon, but he is a German Jew.  After Kristallnacht he is forced to leave Germany with his widowed sister-in-law and disabled daughter.  He chooses to go to Shanghai, hoping that he will be able to build a new life for himself and his family.  Sunny, a Shanghai nurse, begins to work in the Jewish refugee hospital, where she meets Franz.  The two immediately feel a sense of chemistry, but both deny their feelings for a variety of reasons.          

This was a very well written book.  The characters were dynamic and engaging.  The plot moved a bit slow at times, but overall maintained a nice pace.  I have never read about German Jews moving to Shanghai, and thought it was an interesting piece of history.  Overall, I enjoyed this book and recommend it to those interested in historical novels.

"Dark Companion" by Marta Acosta          

After the death of her friend Hosea, Jane decides to turn her life around.  She studies hard and gains a scholarship to Birch Grove Academy, an exclusive all-girls school.  She finds the girls and faculty extremely inviting, almost too inviting.  She begins to tutor Lucien, the headmasters’ son, but continues to have odd encounters with his brother Jack.  Slowly, she realizes that something isn't quite right.          

This was a very interesting and engaging book.  The characters were fascinating, and the twist was unexpected.  Without giving anything away, I like the magical creatures that the author has created.  They are a bit unique with an interesting history and hierarchy.  I think teenagers will love this book.

"Almost a Scandal" by Elizabeth Essex         

I'm not a huge romance fan.  But I was intrigued by the idea of a woman masquerading as a man in order to join the British Navy.  I was caught by her personality and force of will.  I was a bit bored by the tension between her and Col, but I think a fan of romance will highly enjoy.  It is a fun blend of action and adventure yet doesn't neglect the romance.