mainstream fiction
Deception Point
Dan Brown
Pocket Books
©2001
ISBN 0-671-02738-7
558 pages
$7.99 US/$11.99 CAN
"When a NASA satellite discovers an astonishingly rare object buried deep in the Arctic ice, the floundering space agency proclaims a much-needed victory – a victory with profound implications for NASA policy and the impending presidential election. To verify the authenticity of the find, the White House calls upon the skills of intelligence analyst Rachel Sexton. Accompanied by a team of experts, including the charismatic scholar Michael Tolland, Rachel travels to the Arctic and uncovers the unthinkable: evidence of scientific trickery – a bold deception that threatens to plunge the world into controversy. But before she can warn the President, Rachel and Michael are ambushed by a deadly team of assassins. Fleeing for their lives across a desolate and lethal landscape, their only hope for survival is to discover who is behind this masterful plot. The truth, they will learn, is the most shocking deception of all."
It was my best friend, Dene Eva, who introduced me to Dan Brown. I had heard of him, through the making of ‘The Da Vinci Code’ but I wasn’t sure I wanted to read him. She went into transports of glee talking about his books and convinced me I needed to read him. She warned me to read ‘Angels and Demons’ before ‘The Da Vinci Code’, and I did so. And loved them.
I found ‘Deception Point’ at a flea market and bought it immediately. Anything by Dan Brown has to be good. And boy, it is. I rocketed through this book. He is a master storyteller – knowing just how much information to give the reader, and just how much to keep secret. Only at the very end does he reveal his hand, in conclusions that make perfect sense all along. I marvel at his research capabilities – he comes up with the most amazing stuff! It is no wonder to me that this man is a Bestselling Author. Bravo.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Still Life With Crows (Four Stars)
horror
Still Life With Crows
Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
Warner Books
©2003
ISBN 0-446-53142-1
Pages ?
US $25.95 CAN $36.95
I was talking with Janna about 1408 and it’s author, Stephen King. King is the only author I have ever been so scared that I had to quit reading at night and finish in the morning. Two of his stories did that to me: The Boogeyman, and 1408. Janna revealed that this is the book that she had been scared enough to stop reading at night. I had read previous novels by Preston and Child (Relic), and knew I was in for a good read.
This novel was spectacular. After a bizarre murder in a cornfield, an FBI agent comes to investigate of his own volition, not at the agency’s behest. He befriends a girl, Corrie, who becomes his assistant, driving him around town, introducing him to the people and places of Medicine Creek. As the numbers of victims continue to grow, in ever-increasing deaths of savagery and gore, he discovers that the secret to this crime lies in the infamous Indian Massacre that also took place in that locale a century ago.
Tightly paced, riveting, and descriptions almost too vivid make this book a quick and exciting read. I admit that the descriptions of the dead bodies were almost too much for me to handle. You couldn’t really guess who the murderer was, given the clues, but it still made sense in the end. For mystery and horror buffs, this is a good choice.
Still Life With Crows
Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
Warner Books
©2003
ISBN 0-446-53142-1
Pages ?
US $25.95 CAN $36.95
I was talking with Janna about 1408 and it’s author, Stephen King. King is the only author I have ever been so scared that I had to quit reading at night and finish in the morning. Two of his stories did that to me: The Boogeyman, and 1408. Janna revealed that this is the book that she had been scared enough to stop reading at night. I had read previous novels by Preston and Child (Relic), and knew I was in for a good read.
This novel was spectacular. After a bizarre murder in a cornfield, an FBI agent comes to investigate of his own volition, not at the agency’s behest. He befriends a girl, Corrie, who becomes his assistant, driving him around town, introducing him to the people and places of Medicine Creek. As the numbers of victims continue to grow, in ever-increasing deaths of savagery and gore, he discovers that the secret to this crime lies in the infamous Indian Massacre that also took place in that locale a century ago.
Tightly paced, riveting, and descriptions almost too vivid make this book a quick and exciting read. I admit that the descriptions of the dead bodies were almost too much for me to handle. You couldn’t really guess who the murderer was, given the clues, but it still made sense in the end. For mystery and horror buffs, this is a good choice.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Counting Stars (Four Stars)
LDS fiction
Counting Stars
Michele Paige Holmes
Covenant Communications, Inc.
©2007
ISBN 987-1-59811-357-0
384 pages
$16.95
My sister, Janna, recommended this book to me. It is written by an author of my faith (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints), and I wasn’t quite sure what to expect of it. I found it to be a beautiful tale of love and hope.
Jane is nearing 30 and nearing desperation being single in a church that celebrates family above all else. She finally turns to the personals page in a newspaper and finds a singularly interesting entry: someone seeking a mother for two young children. As it turns out, Paul has terminal cancer and his wife just died in a car accident, leaving two babies behind for him to care for.
Knowing that marriage would be impossible, Jane takes the job anyway, and becomes a legal mother to the two babies after Paul dies. Unknown to her, Paul had another surprise in mind for her as his twin brother, Peter, returns home from Afghanistan. At first they merely tolerate each other as they raise the children, but their minds softly turn to love.
This book was well-written, had an engaging plot line and an easy reading pace. I greatly enjoyed reading it and will probably add it to my library.
Counting Stars
Michele Paige Holmes
Covenant Communications, Inc.
©2007
ISBN 987-1-59811-357-0
384 pages
$16.95
My sister, Janna, recommended this book to me. It is written by an author of my faith (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints), and I wasn’t quite sure what to expect of it. I found it to be a beautiful tale of love and hope.
Jane is nearing 30 and nearing desperation being single in a church that celebrates family above all else. She finally turns to the personals page in a newspaper and finds a singularly interesting entry: someone seeking a mother for two young children. As it turns out, Paul has terminal cancer and his wife just died in a car accident, leaving two babies behind for him to care for.
Knowing that marriage would be impossible, Jane takes the job anyway, and becomes a legal mother to the two babies after Paul dies. Unknown to her, Paul had another surprise in mind for her as his twin brother, Peter, returns home from Afghanistan. At first they merely tolerate each other as they raise the children, but their minds softly turn to love.
This book was well-written, had an engaging plot line and an easy reading pace. I greatly enjoyed reading it and will probably add it to my library.
The Devil Wears Prada (Four Stars)
Mainstream fiction
The Devil Wears Prada
Lauren Weisberger
Anchor Books
©2003
ISBN 0-307-27555-8
432 pages
US $7.99 CAN $10.99
I had quite enjoyed the movie made from this book, so when I saw it in Jocelyn’s room, I asked to borrow it. I am always wary reading adult fiction – I don’t always appreciate skin and swearing. This book had some swearing, but at least it was never gratuitous.
Andy Sachs somehow lands ‘the job a million girls would die for’ working at Runway Magazine. She sticks out like a sore thumb in her size 6 (gasp!) and ordinary wardrobe. Before she really realizes what is happening, Runway and Miranda Priestly take over her life.
Talk about the boss from Hades. Miranda Priestly is a character you love to hate and for the entire novel you wonder why Andy puts up with it all. We know that it’s because she wants to become a journalist and one year at Runway will put you in the fast lane of publishing in New York. But, by the end, Andy realizes that she has had enough of Miranda’s impossible demands and returns home to family and friends.
I cringed my way through the entire novel, spellbound by Miranda’s antics. I enjoyed the book very much, the character development was first-rate, and the story unwound in a marvellous manner. I do wonder now why they made so many changes for the movie, but I guess that’s what producers do.
The Devil Wears Prada
Lauren Weisberger
Anchor Books
©2003
ISBN 0-307-27555-8
432 pages
US $7.99 CAN $10.99
I had quite enjoyed the movie made from this book, so when I saw it in Jocelyn’s room, I asked to borrow it. I am always wary reading adult fiction – I don’t always appreciate skin and swearing. This book had some swearing, but at least it was never gratuitous.
Andy Sachs somehow lands ‘the job a million girls would die for’ working at Runway Magazine. She sticks out like a sore thumb in her size 6 (gasp!) and ordinary wardrobe. Before she really realizes what is happening, Runway and Miranda Priestly take over her life.
Talk about the boss from Hades. Miranda Priestly is a character you love to hate and for the entire novel you wonder why Andy puts up with it all. We know that it’s because she wants to become a journalist and one year at Runway will put you in the fast lane of publishing in New York. But, by the end, Andy realizes that she has had enough of Miranda’s impossible demands and returns home to family and friends.
I cringed my way through the entire novel, spellbound by Miranda’s antics. I enjoyed the book very much, the character development was first-rate, and the story unwound in a marvellous manner. I do wonder now why they made so many changes for the movie, but I guess that’s what producers do.
Monday, August 13, 2007
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Five Stars)
children's fiction
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
J.K. Rowling
Raincoast Books
©2007
ISBN 1-55192-976-7
607 pages
$45.00
"Harry is waiting in Privet Drive. The Order of the Phoenix is coming to escort him safely away without Voldemort and his supporters knowing – if they can. But what will Harry do then? How can he fulfil the momentous and seemingly impossible task that Professor Dumbledore has left him?"
There is no gentle saunter into the story in this final instalment of the Harry Potter series. It starts with a bang and keeps a relentless pace throughout its six hundred pages. It may be the finest book I’ve ever read. Every single thing ever uttered in the books preceding it is explained, even the origin of the blood on the Bloody Baron’s clothing. The death count is inconceivable; I think I cried all day while I read it.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione don’t return to Hogwarts for their final year. Instead they set out on a quest to find and destroy all the horcruxes of Lord Voldemort so he can finally be beaten. It is a journey filled with trepidation and horror, as they are captured, escape, and are captured again. But in the end, every question is answered and the theme of the whole series comes into focus: love. It is all about love. The love that Severus Snape had for Lily Potter saved the world. The love that Harry Potter had for his friends also saved the world. And the courage of Neville Longbottom proved greatest of all.
It is a fitting conclusion to the series that has rocked the foundations of our world. Thank you, J.K. Rowling, for bringing it into my life.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
J.K. Rowling
Raincoast Books
©2007
ISBN 1-55192-976-7
607 pages
$45.00
"Harry is waiting in Privet Drive. The Order of the Phoenix is coming to escort him safely away without Voldemort and his supporters knowing – if they can. But what will Harry do then? How can he fulfil the momentous and seemingly impossible task that Professor Dumbledore has left him?"
There is no gentle saunter into the story in this final instalment of the Harry Potter series. It starts with a bang and keeps a relentless pace throughout its six hundred pages. It may be the finest book I’ve ever read. Every single thing ever uttered in the books preceding it is explained, even the origin of the blood on the Bloody Baron’s clothing. The death count is inconceivable; I think I cried all day while I read it.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione don’t return to Hogwarts for their final year. Instead they set out on a quest to find and destroy all the horcruxes of Lord Voldemort so he can finally be beaten. It is a journey filled with trepidation and horror, as they are captured, escape, and are captured again. But in the end, every question is answered and the theme of the whole series comes into focus: love. It is all about love. The love that Severus Snape had for Lily Potter saved the world. The love that Harry Potter had for his friends also saved the world. And the courage of Neville Longbottom proved greatest of all.
It is a fitting conclusion to the series that has rocked the foundations of our world. Thank you, J.K. Rowling, for bringing it into my life.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Four Stars)
Children's fiction
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
J.K. Rowling
Raincoast Books
©2005
ISBN 1-55192-756-x
607 pages
$41.00
"It is the middle of the summer, but there is an unseasonal mist pressing against the windowpanes. Harry Potter is waiting nervously in his bedroom at the Dursleys’ house in Privet Drive for a visit from Professor Dumbledore himself. One of the last times he saw the Headmaster was in a fierce one-to-one duel with Lord Voldemort, and Harry can’t quite believe that Professor Dumbledore will actually appear at the Dursleys’ of all places. Why is the Professor coming to visit him now? What is it that cannot wait until Harry returns to Hogwarts in a few weeks’ time? Harry’s sixth year at Hogwarts has already got off to an unusual start, as the worlds of Muggle and magic start to intertwine…
"J.K. Rowling charts Harry Potter’s latest adventures in his sixth year at Hogwarts with consummate skill and in breathtaking fashion."
So the world knows of the existence of Lord Voldemort and Harry may expect his life to get a little easier. Especially as he is getting private lessons from Professor Dumbledore. Yet to his dismay, Professor Snape is finally handed the Defense Against the Dark Arts position he had been vying for every single year. A new Potions teacher, Professor Slughorn, is an intriguing character who holds the key to Voldemort’s downfall.
As Harry and Dumbledore search for hidden objects that contain bits of Voldemort’s soul, tensions between magic and muggle escalate, and battle lines are drawn even within Hogwarts itself. The greatest mystery of all? Who is the Half Blood Prince?
Rowling once again proves her mastery over the world she has created, and her narrative style brought me to both tears and laughter.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
J.K. Rowling
Raincoast Books
©2005
ISBN 1-55192-756-x
607 pages
$41.00
"It is the middle of the summer, but there is an unseasonal mist pressing against the windowpanes. Harry Potter is waiting nervously in his bedroom at the Dursleys’ house in Privet Drive for a visit from Professor Dumbledore himself. One of the last times he saw the Headmaster was in a fierce one-to-one duel with Lord Voldemort, and Harry can’t quite believe that Professor Dumbledore will actually appear at the Dursleys’ of all places. Why is the Professor coming to visit him now? What is it that cannot wait until Harry returns to Hogwarts in a few weeks’ time? Harry’s sixth year at Hogwarts has already got off to an unusual start, as the worlds of Muggle and magic start to intertwine…
"J.K. Rowling charts Harry Potter’s latest adventures in his sixth year at Hogwarts with consummate skill and in breathtaking fashion."
So the world knows of the existence of Lord Voldemort and Harry may expect his life to get a little easier. Especially as he is getting private lessons from Professor Dumbledore. Yet to his dismay, Professor Snape is finally handed the Defense Against the Dark Arts position he had been vying for every single year. A new Potions teacher, Professor Slughorn, is an intriguing character who holds the key to Voldemort’s downfall.
As Harry and Dumbledore search for hidden objects that contain bits of Voldemort’s soul, tensions between magic and muggle escalate, and battle lines are drawn even within Hogwarts itself. The greatest mystery of all? Who is the Half Blood Prince?
Rowling once again proves her mastery over the world she has created, and her narrative style brought me to both tears and laughter.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Four Stars)
Children's fiction
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
J.K. Rowling
Raincoast Books
©2003
ISBN1-55192-570-2
766 pages
$43.00
"Dumbledore lowered his hands and surveyed Harry through his half-moon glasses. ‘It is time,’ he said, ‘for me to tell you what I should have told you five years ago, Harry. Please sit down. I am going to tell you everything.’
"Harry Potter is due to start his fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He is desperate to get back to school and find out why his friends Ron and Hermione have been so secretive all summer. However, what Harry is about to discover in his new year at Hogwarts will turn his world upside down…
"This is a gripping and electrifying new novel full of suspense, secrets, and – of course – magic, from the incomparable J.K. Rowling."
Author J.K. Rowling steers her incredible craft into seething waters in this novel. Considerably darker than the novels that have preceded it, The Order of the Phoenix chronicles Harry’s obsession with dreams that lead him down a mysterious hallway to a prophecy that tells the final truth about he and his enemy, Lord Voldemort. The Ministry of Magic proves that it is under the thrall of power-seeking wizards who try to tell the wizarding world that Harry is lying about the return of Lord Voldemort to power. They even send an evil witch, Umbridge, to be a High Inquisitor at Hogwarts, who eventually takes over the running of the school.
Whatever boundaries Rowling may have created in previous books are shattered in this tale, as Umbridge devises cruel detentions, Snape’s past is revealed and Harry’s own fond memories of his father and Sirius are blown apart. At the close of the book there is an explosive battle between Voldemort and Dumbledore, and the whole wizarding world is finally forced to believe the awful truth: Voldemort is back.
The longest book in the series and, personally, the most painful to read, this book stays true to modern teenagers in their angst, their inadequacies, and their first loves. This book is phenomenal.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
J.K. Rowling
Raincoast Books
©2003
ISBN1-55192-570-2
766 pages
$43.00
"Dumbledore lowered his hands and surveyed Harry through his half-moon glasses. ‘It is time,’ he said, ‘for me to tell you what I should have told you five years ago, Harry. Please sit down. I am going to tell you everything.’
"Harry Potter is due to start his fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He is desperate to get back to school and find out why his friends Ron and Hermione have been so secretive all summer. However, what Harry is about to discover in his new year at Hogwarts will turn his world upside down…
"This is a gripping and electrifying new novel full of suspense, secrets, and – of course – magic, from the incomparable J.K. Rowling."
Author J.K. Rowling steers her incredible craft into seething waters in this novel. Considerably darker than the novels that have preceded it, The Order of the Phoenix chronicles Harry’s obsession with dreams that lead him down a mysterious hallway to a prophecy that tells the final truth about he and his enemy, Lord Voldemort. The Ministry of Magic proves that it is under the thrall of power-seeking wizards who try to tell the wizarding world that Harry is lying about the return of Lord Voldemort to power. They even send an evil witch, Umbridge, to be a High Inquisitor at Hogwarts, who eventually takes over the running of the school.
Whatever boundaries Rowling may have created in previous books are shattered in this tale, as Umbridge devises cruel detentions, Snape’s past is revealed and Harry’s own fond memories of his father and Sirius are blown apart. At the close of the book there is an explosive battle between Voldemort and Dumbledore, and the whole wizarding world is finally forced to believe the awful truth: Voldemort is back.
The longest book in the series and, personally, the most painful to read, this book stays true to modern teenagers in their angst, their inadequacies, and their first loves. This book is phenomenal.
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