Book Thoughts - The Fire by Katherine Neville

The Fire by Katherine Neville
published 2008
451 pages

Synopsis -

2003, Colorado: Alexandra Solarin is summoned home to her family's ancestral Rocky Mountain hideaway for her mother's birthday. Thirty years ago, her parents, Cat Velis and Alexander Solarin, believed that they had scattered the pieces of the Montglane Service around the world, burying with them the secrets of the power that comes with possessing it. But Alexandra arrives to find that her mother is missing and that a series of strategically placed clues, followed swiftly by the unexpected arrival of a mysterious assortment of houseguests, indicates that something sinister is afoot.

 1822, Albania: Thirty years after the French Revolution, when the chess service was unearthed, all of Europe hovers on the brink of the War of Greek Independence. Ali Pasha, the most powerful ruler in the Ottoman Empire, has angered the sultan and is about to be attacked by Turkish forces. Now he sends the only person he can rely upon-his young daughter, Haidee--on a dangerous mission to smuggle a valuable relic out of Albania, through the mountains and over the sea, to the hands of the one man who might be able to save it.

My thoughts -

Well, this was a disappointment. Actually, it kinda wasn't, given that I'd seen a whole list of reviews telling me this book just did not live up to its predecessor. Sadly, I agree.

I've seen several reviews that say the novel started strong, and then lost steam in the middle. I disagree. I feel like this novel was a convoluted mess from the very beginning. "Mystery" characters that weren't very mysterious, "secret" conversations that (surprise, surprise) weren't very secret, and an entire secondary plot that was basically abandoned halfway through the book.

It just seems like Neville didn't have enough to say - like she needed a 500 page novel, but she really only had enough story for a 300 page novel, so she just added a bunch of poorly wrought confusion and hoped the reader wouldn't notice. Interestingly, there are places where the novel is genuinely intriguing and even a bit thrilling - it just isn't sustained nearly long enough to be an overall enjoyable reading experience.

My advice - pretend this one never even happened. The Eight is still a fantastic novel, and stands on it's own quite nicely. Just let it be the end of the story. You won't regret it.

Finished - 2/20/16

Source - my shelves, #ReadMyOwnDamnBooks

MPAA rating - PG-13 for some violence and scary situations

My rating - 2/5

Book Thoughts - The Eight by Katherine Neville

The Eight by Katherine Neville
first published 1988
598 pages

Synopsis -

Computer expert Cat Velis is heading for a job to Algeria. Before she goes, a mysterious fortune teller warns her of danger, and an antique dealer asks her to search for pieces to a valuable chess set that has been missing for years...In the South of France in 1790 two convent girls hide valuable pieces of a chess set all over the world, because the game that can be played with them is too powerful....

My thoughts -

This novel is considered the originator of the "historical-scavenger-hunt-thriller"-type novel that Dan Brown's The DaVinci Code and Elizabeth Kostova's The Historian have made famous. Having read both those novels, I was interested to see how the first in the genre would hold up after 25+ years. I'm please to say it holds up quite well indeed.

For me, Dan Brown's novels always feel a little too surface-y, as if they are written for the movie they will eventually become but lack a bit of the substance I really crave in a good novel. Elizabeth Kostova, on the other hand, was SO dense. There were just SO MANY WORDS, and I felt like the plot needed some more action to keep me completely engaged. The Eight was the perfect balance of both worlds - complex plotting with enough thrills to keep me right on the edge of my seat and wanting more.

The Eight uses a lot of ingredients that have been successfully incorporated many times since in popular books and movies - Freemasonry, alchemy, the mysterious Middle East. Because these tropes have become so popular as plot devices, the possibility of them feeling stale is high. I felt like this novel was able to stand on its own well, despite the passing of years, because of Neville's expert weaving together of all these familiar strands into a story both exciting and fresh.

Neville's two main heroines, Cat and Mireille, were intelligent and dauntless, and following their dangerous and heroic exploits was complete and utter fun. I genuinely felt anxious on more than one occasion, because I was that involved in their stories. Because this novel has been the inspiration for so much that followed, some of the plot twists were easier to predict, but there were still plenty of surprises along the way.

I'm extremely glad this novel found it's way into my hands. I enjoyed every minute, and would not hesitate to recommend it.  

Finished - 2/14/16

Source - my shelves #ReadMyOwnDamnBooks

MPAA rating - R for violence, scary situations, adult situations

My rating - 5/5

Sunday Shorts

Deeply Odd by Dean Koontz
published 5/28/13
352 pages

Synopsis from publisher -

How do you make sure a crime that hasn’t happened yet, never does? That’s the critical question facing Odd Thomas, the young man with a unique ability to commune with restless spirits and help them find justice and peace. But this time, it’s the living who desperately need Odd on their side. Three helpless innocents will be brutally executed unless Odd can intervene in time. Who the potential victims are and where they can be found remain a mystery. The only thing Odd knows for sure is who the killer will be: the homicidal stranger who tried to shoot him dead in a small-town parking lot.

With the ghost of Alfred Hitchcock riding shotgun and a network of unlikely allies providing help along the way, Odd embarks on an interstate game of cat and mouse with his sinister quarry. He will soon learn that his adversary possesses abilities that may surpass his own and operates in service to infinitely more formidable foes, with murder a mere prelude to much deeper designs. Traveling across a landscape haunted by portents of impending catastrophe, Odd will do what he must and go where his path leads him, drawing ever closer to the dark heart of his long journey — and, perhaps, to the bright light beyond.

My thoughts -

It's so much fun to see the greater story developing - to start piecing together the place I think the author is ultimately going with this series. Once again, the actual mystery of the book - while certainly nail-biting - was not what I enjoyed most. Koontz creates such a delightful cast of characters, and I love watching them interact and trying to figure out what each player means in the grand scheme. This series is so much better than I expected it to be!

Finished - 9/11/13
Source - South side library
MPAA rating - R for scary violence
My rating - 8/10

The Selection by Kiera Cass
published 2012
352 pages

Synopsis from publisher -

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself; and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

My thoughts -

Basically just imagine Prince Harry being the next Bachelor. That's pretty much the gist of this book, and while it sounds silly, I enjoyed it a lot. America is a fun and feisty heroine, and I'm enjoying her journey of discovery into worlds she hasn't known. I am definitely continuing with this series.

Finished - 9/18/13
Source - South Side library
MPAA rating - PG-13 for violence and some more sensitive situations
My rating - 8/10

Sunday Shorts

Odd Interlude by Dean Koontz
published 2013
297 pages

Synopsis from publisher -

Nestled on a lonely stretch along the Pacific coast, quaint roadside outpost Harmony Corner offers everything a weary traveler needs—a cozy diner, a handy service station, a cluster of cottages . . . and the Harmony family homestead presiding over it all. But when Odd Thomas and company stop to spend the night, they discover that there’s more to this secluded haven than meets the eye—and that between life and death, there is something more frightening than either.

My thoughts -

I think this series gets better and better with each novel. This story was a much shorter installment - it was apparently originally a web series - and for me it packed an emotional punch. This was also the first time in an Odd Thomas story that Koontz gives us something from another character's point of view, and it was extremely powerful. I devoured this book nearly in one sitting.

Finished - 8/4/13
Source - south side library
MPAA rating - R
My rating - 8/10

Odd Apocalypse by Dean Koontz
published 6/2012
368 pages

Synopsis from publisher -

The woman astride the ghostly mount reaches out desperately, the latest spirit to enlist the aid of Odd Thomas, the unassuming young fry cook whose gift—or curse—it is to see the shades of the restless dead, and to help them when he can. This mission of mercy will lead Odd through realms of darkness he has never before encountered, as he probes the long-held secrets of a sinister estate and those who inhabit it.


My thoughts -

I think this is the first installment in the series that has genuinely creeped me out - Koontz uses some actual science to craft this particular story, and it had enough of a ring of truth that it actually affected me. Honestly, though, I read these books for the relationships Koontz develops between Odd Thomas and the other characters that populate his world, and this book was full of them. I think Odd is one of the most original characters in current literary fiction, and I can't wait to read the next book.

Finished - 8/4/13
Source - South side library
MPAA rating - R
My rating - 8/10

The Vampire Diaries: The Struggle by LJ Smith
published in print 1991
audiobook - narrated by Rebecca Mozo

Synopsis from publisher -

Torn between two vampire brothers
Damon: determined to make Elena his, he'd kill his own brother to possess her.

Stefan: desperate for the power to destroy Damon, and protect Elena, he gives in to his thirst for human blood.

Elena: the girl who can have anyone finds herself in the middle of a love triangle . . . one that might turn deadly.

My thoughts -

I thought this book was a bit slower than the first in the series - it seemed like we spent a LOT of time not doing much of anything. It did, however, have a great climactic scene, and I will read the next in the series to see if I'm right about what the author has done.

Finished - 8/24/13
Source - audiobook from South side library
MPAA rating - PG-13 for romancy and violent moments
My rating - 6/10

The Second Summer of the Sisterhood by Ann Brashares
published 2003
373 pages

Synopsis from publisher -

With a bit of last summer's sand in the pockets, the Traveling Pants and the Sisterhood that wears them embark on their 16th summer.

Bridget: Impulsively sets off for Alabama, wanting to both confront her demons about her family and avoid them all at once.

Lena: Spends a blissful week with Kostos, making the unexplainable silence that follows his visit even more painful.

Carmen: Is concerned that her mother is making a fool of herself over a man. When she discovers that her mother borrowed the Pants to wear on a date, she's certain of it.

Tibby: Not about to spend another summer working at Wallman's, she takes a film course only to find it's what happens off-camera that teaches her the most.

My thoughts -

First - I don't feel like this book has a complete title. I think it had a real title, and then this was the subtitle - like, "(whatever, whatever, whatever): The Second Summer of the Sisterhood", and then somehow that first part got left out.

I am just charmed by this series. I feel for each of the girls in their struggles to grow up, and enjoy each one's stories equally. Delightful young adult fiction.

Finished - 9/2/13
Source - South side library
MPAA Rating - PG-13
My rating - 7/10

Book Thoughts - The Dinner by Herman Koch

The Dinner by Herman Koch
originally published 2009, published in US 2/12/13
304 pages

Synopsis from publisher -

It's a summer's evening in Amsterdam, and two couples meet at a fashionable restaurant for dinner. Between mouthfuls of food and over the polite scrapings of cutlery, the conversation remains a gentle hum of polite discourse — the banality of work, the triviality of the holidays. But behind the empty words, terrible things need to be said, and with every forced smile and every new course, the knives are being sharpened.

Each couple has a fifteen-year-old son. The two boys are united by their accountability for a single horrific act; an act that has triggered a police investigation and shattered the comfortable, insulated worlds of their families. As the dinner reaches its culinary climax, the conversation finally touches on their children. As civility and friendship disintegrate, each couple show just how far they are prepared to go to protect those they love.

My thoughts -

Holy cow.

I almost don't know how to review this novel, because part of its power is in its insidious surprises. I definitely think this is a novel that is better to go into not knowing TOO much, because as each knot is untied, each secret revealed, the twists and turns are so much more shocking when you don't see them coming.

I've seen several comparisons between this novel and Gone Girl, and even though I didn't care for that one, I can understand the connection between the two. I think the reason The Dinner DID work for me was because it was so much more subtle - nothing is obvious, and a large part of the tension in the novel is left up to the reader. Koch's characters do not give up their secrets easily, but I found that necessary work to be part of what compelled me to keep reading.

This was not an easy read - the subject matter is dark, and the issues complex and difficult. I was particularly interested in the questions raised about what lengths a parent should go to in order to protect their child. I would imagine a book club having much to discuss after reading The Dinner.

"Without knowing glances - without winks - there was in fact no secret - that was my reasoning. It might be hard for us to put the events in the cubicle out of our minds, but in the course of time, they would start to exist outside us - just as they did for other people. But what we did have to forget was the secret. And the best thing was to start forgetting as soon as possible." (p. 150)

I don't know that this will be one of my FAVORITE reads of 2013, but I do know it will be one of the most memorable. It's treatment of parental responsibility, violence, and mental illness left me thinking long after I'd turned the last page. Recommended for readers willing to take a disturbing journey into a dark place.

Finished - 7/31/13
Source - South side library
MPAA rating - R - please don't give this to your child
My rating - 8/10

Sunday Shorts

Brother Odd by Dean Koontz
published 2006
384 pages

Synopsis from publisher -

Loop me in, odd one. The words, spoken in the deep of night by a sleeping child, chill the young man watching over her. For this was a favorite phrase of Stormy Llewellyn, his lost love, and Stormy is dead, gone forever from this world. In the haunted halls of the isolated monastery where he had sought peace, Odd Thomas is stalking spirits of an infinitely darker nature. . .

My thoughts -

After being a bit disappointed with the second novel in the series, I was happy to see that this third installment was back to a more interesting, less chase-y plotline. The brothers in the monastery were an entertaining bunch, and this novel's supernatural elements were fun and spooky. Back to the kind of storytelling I enjoy from this author.

Finished - 8/2/13
Source- South side library
MPAA rating - PG-13
My rating - 7/10

Odd Hours by Dean Koontz
published 2008
368 pages

Synopsis from publisher -

After grappling with the very essence of reality itself, after finding the veil that separates him from his soul mate, Stormy Llewellyn, tantalizingly thin yet impenetrable, Odd longed only to return to a life of quiet anonymity with his two otherworldly sidekicks — his dog Boo and a new companion, one of the few who might rival his old pal Elvis. But a true hero, however humble, must persevere. Haunted by dreams of an all-encompassing red tide, Odd is pulled inexorably to the sea, to a small California coastal town where nothing is as it seems. Now the forces arrayed against him have both official sanction and an infinitely more sinister authority...and in this dark night of the soul dawn will come only after the most shattering revelations of all.

My thoughts -

So I'm officially "in" this series now - my OCD has kicked in, and I have to read them all until I'm finished. This installment in the series was surprisingly less supernatural-y, and more grounded in real life bad guys doing real life bad things, which was an interesting change. I'm intrigued by the character of Annamaria, and excited to see that she carries over into the next novel. Fun stuff.

Finished - 8/3/13
Source - loan from my mom
MPAA rating - PG-13
My rating - 7/10

Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler
published 2011
audiobook, narrated by Khristine Hvam

Synopsis from publisher -

I'm telling you why we broke up, Ed. I'm writing it in this letter, the whole truth of why it happened.

Min Green and Ed Slaterton are breaking up, so Min is writing Ed a letter and giving him a box. Inside the box is why they broke up. Two bottle caps, a movie ticket, a folded note, a box of matches, a protractor, books, a toy truck, a pair of ugly earrings, a comb from a motel room, and every other item collected over the course of a giddy, intimate, heartbreaking relationship. Item after item is illustrated and accounted for, and then the box, like a girlfriend, will be dumped.

My thoughts -

Meh. This was an interesting idea, and I thought Daniel Handler might do an interesting job with this premise, but ultimately it was TOO whiny for me. I couldn't really feel sorry for Min, and Ed was just irritating. I think this particular YA novel just doesn't translate well for an adult audience.

Finished - 8/3/13
Source - South side library
MPAA rating - R for language and adult situations
My rating - 5/10

Disenchanted & Co., Part 1 - Her Ladyship's Curse by Lynn Viehl
published 8/12/13
400 pages

Synopsis from publisher -

In a steampunk version of America that lost the Revolutionary War, Charmian (Kit) Kittredge makes her living investigating magic crimes and exposing the frauds behind them. While Kit tries to avoid the nobs of high society, as the proprietor of Disenchanted & Co. she follows mysteries wherever they lead.

Lady Diana Walsh calls on Kit to investigate and dispel the curse she believes responsible for carving hateful words into her own flesh as she sleeps. While Kit doesn’t believe in magic herself, she can’t refuse to help a woman subjected nightly to such vicious assaults. As Kit investigates the Walsh family, she becomes convinced that the attacks on Diana are part of a larger, more ominous plot—one that may involve the lady’s obnoxious husband.

Sleuthing in the city of Rumsen is difficult enough, but soon Kit must also skirt the unwanted attentions of nefarious deathmage Lucien Dredmore and the unwelcome scrutiny of police Chief Inspector Thomas Doyle. Unwilling to surrender to either man’s passion for her, Kit struggles to remain independent as she draws closer to the heart of the mystery. Yet as she learns the truth behind her ladyship’s curse, Kit also uncovers a massive conspiracy that promises to ruin her life—and turn Rumsen into a s supernatural battleground from which no one will escape alive.

My thoughts -

Okay, first of all, isn't Kit Kittredge one of the American Girl dolls? The one during the Great Depression? I had a really hard time getting that out of my head throughout the reading of this novel.

I'm finding drawn to this genre more than I ever have - I think it's because they really seem to be a complete escape from reality for me, and things at work and home have been pretty intense lately. It's so nice to just lose myself in a completely different world every once in awhile. I thought this was an interesting premise, and think Kit herself could develop into a heroine I can be fond of - this first novel in the series just seemed to have too many loose ends for me to fully enjoy it. I will most likely look for the second in the series, just so I can see how things resolve.

Finished - 8/15/14
Source - review copy from publisher via Netgalley - thank you!
MPAA rating - PG-13 for adult situations and fantasy violence
My rating - 6/10

Book Thoughts - The Diviners by Libba Bray

The Diviners by Libba Bray
published 9/31/12
narrated by January LaVoy
running time 18 hours 14 minutes

Synopsis from publisher -

Something dark and evil has awakened....

Evie O'Neill has been exiled from her boring old hometown and shipped off to the bustling streets of New York City - and she is pos-i-tute-ly ecstatic. It's 1926, and New York is filled with speakeasies, Ziegfeld girls, and rakish pickpockets. The only catch is that she has to live with her uncle Will and his unhealthy obsession with the occult.

Evie worries her uncle will discover her darkest secret: a supernatural power that has only brought her trouble so far. But when the police find a murdered girl branded with a cryptic symbol and Will is called to the scene, Evie realizes her gift could help catch a serial killer.

As Evie jumps headlong into a dance with a murderer, other stories unfold in the city that never sleeps. A young man named Memphis is caught between two worlds. A chorus girl named Theta is running from her past. A student named Jericho is hiding a shocking secret. And unknown to all, something dark and evil has awakened....

My thoughts -

Libba Bray has become one of my must-read authors, even though her novels don't always live up to my expectations. I always appreciate, however, the creativity and unique approach she brings to each novel, so I was excited to pick up a copy of her latest. And hoo boy, this one was a winner!

It took me a little while to warm up to the story - the light, devil-may-care attitude of the main characters made me roll my eyes a few times in the beginning. But Evie gradually developed depth, and soon I was rooting for her to make her mark in the world. Bray's secondary characters were interesting and full of life, and I was even able to forgive a near-miss on the life of Theta, who quickly became my favorite.

The Diviners is full of twists and turns, and some genuinely scary situations, and I couldn't wait to listen to what was going to happen next. The roaring 20's really comes to life in Bray's words, and I found myself even using some of the slang of Evie and her crowd as I went about my day. (Posi-tute-ly!)

January LaVoy was a fantastic narrator - she completely captured the energy and spark of the time and characters, and did an amazing job of giving each character their own distinct voice. I loved listening to her read, and would love to find more of her work.

I was completely enthralled by this wonderful novel. I can't wait to read Bray's next installment in this fun new series - I have to find out what happens next to Evie, Theta, Will, Jericho, and the whole gang. Highly recommended.

Finished - 6/17/13
Source - audiobook from the library
MPAA rating - PG-13 for violence, adult situations, and scary stuff
My rating - 9/10

Sunday Shorts

The Odd Sea by Frederick Reiken
published 1998
214 pages

Synopsis from publisher:

One sunny spring morning, 16-year-old Ethan Shumway walks down his gravel driveway and vanishes without a trace. A gifted athlete and musician, he leaves behind a wake of family and friends who search for understanding in the unbearable presence of loss.

My thoughts:

More than anything I think this is a coming-of-age novel - of a boy, and of a family, who have to learn how to survive and keep going in the wake of a tragedy. Reiken's family rang true to me - each character felt authentic, and their individual reaction to the events seemed appropriate. Watching Phillip travel the bumpy path of grief, loss, and acceptance was difficult at times, but ultimately I found his story moving. I don't know that I will remember this novel's specifics months down the road, but I would certainly give this author a second read.

Finished: 10/6/12
Source: loan from my mom
MPAA rating: R for language and adult situations
My rating: 6/10

Miss Dreamsville and the Collier County Women's Literary Society by Amy Hill Hearth
published October 2, 2012
272 pages

Synopsis from publisher:

In 1962, Jackie Hart moved to Naples, Florida, from Boston with her husband and children. Wanting something personally fulfilling to do with her time, she starts a reading club and anonymously hosts a radio show, calling herself Miss Dreamsville.

     The racially segregated town falls in love with Miss Dreamsville, but doesn’t know what to make of Jackie, who welcomes everyone into her book club, including a woman who did prison time for allegedly killing her husband, a man of questionable sexual preference, a young divorcee, as well as a black woman.

My thoughts:

This is a very lighthearted novel - really too lighthearted for my taste. Hearth takes on a vast number of social and political issues from the 1960s - race, gender, religion, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the KKK - but spends so little time on each that it's hard to take the novel seriously. I would have preferred a few less issues, and a bit more time developing characters. I have a feeling this novel will be pretty popular, but it didn't hit the mark for me.

Finished: 10/14/12

Source: review copy from publisher- thank you!
MPAA rating: PG-13 for discussions of race, gender, sexuality, and violence

My rating: 5/10

The Passage by Justin Cronin
published 2010
audiobook read by Scott Brick, Adenrele Ojo, and Abby Craden

Synopsis from publisher:

First, the unthinkable: a security breach at a secret U.S. government facility unleashes the monstrous product of a chilling military experiment. Then, the unspeakable: a night of chaos and carnage gives way to sunrise on a nation, and ultimately a world, forever altered. All that remains for the stunned survivors is the long fight ahead and a future ruled by fear — of darkness, of death, of a fate far worse.

As civilization swiftly crumbles into a primal landscape of predators and prey, two people flee in search of sanctuary. FBI agent Brad Wolgast is a good man haunted by what he’s done in the line of duty. Six-year-old orphan Amy Harper Bellafonte is a refugee from the doomed scientific project that has triggered apocalypse. He is determined to protect her from the horror set loose by her captors. But for Amy, escaping the bloody fallout is only the beginning of a much longer odyssey — spanning miles and decades — towards the time and place where she must finish what should never have begun.

My thoughts:

I read this novel two years ago for the first time, and loved it (my review here), but hated the fact that I would have to wait for the second installment in the trilogy. I decided to revisit the story this fall because the long-awaited second book was released this month, and I am glad I did. The Passage holds up extremely well to a re-read - knowing the plot twists and turns did not lessen the impact of the story, and sometimes knowing what was coming almost made the experience sweeter. I enjoyed listening to it as an audiobook a lot - the first time through, there were some parts that moved a bit slowly for me, but I didn't feel that drag as much as an audio experience. This is such a good novel, and now I am even more excited to start book #2! If you haven't read it yet, do it! It's a great choice for fall/winter, and now you won't have to live through the horrible cliffhanger!

Finished: 10/29/12

Source: audible.com

MPAA rating: R for language and violence

My rating: 9/10

Book Thoughts - Gods and Fathers by James LePore

Gods and Fathers by James LePore
published 2/12
ebook

Synopsis from publisher:

Matt DeMarco is an accomplished Manhattan attorney with more than his share of emotional baggage. His marriage ended disastrously, his ex-wife has pulled their son away from him, and her remarriage to a hugely successful Arab businessman has created complications for Matt on multiple levels. However, his life shifts from troubled to imperiled when two cops – men he's known for a long time – come into his home and arrest his son as the prime suspect in the murder of the boy's girlfriend.

Suddenly, the enmity between Matt and his only child is no longer relevant. Matt must do everything he can to clear his son, who he fully believes is innocent. Doing so will require him to quit his job and make enemies of former friends – and it will throw him up against forces he barely knew existed and can only begin to comprehend how to battle.

My thoughts:

I read LePore's first novel back in 2009 (A World I Never Made) and enjoyed it, so I was looking forward to checking back in with this author. I was expecting this novel to be a quick, exciting read, and was not disappointed. As before, LePore writes about events that feel as though they could be happening at this exact moment - current political and global events give the storyline a feeling of authenticity that makes some of the more unbelievable moments ring true. The man knows how to write a good thriller, and I definitely enjoyed it.

My problem with the novel was that I really, really disliked the main character. I get that he is an ex-marine = tough, no nonsense, etc. etc. But I found it more and more difficult through the arc of the novel to find myself feeling any sort of sympathy for him. All of the bad situations of his life seemed to be solely of his own creation, and their was nothing in his attitudes or actions that ever made me root for things to go well for him. I really couldn't figure out why the strong, impressive female character LePore created would even consider having a relationship with him. The uber-macho male lead is what keeps me from reading a lot of books in this genre, and I remember now why they bug me so much.

If, however, this is a genre you generally enjoy I would definitely give this author a try. Even though I had a major problem with the main character, I found the bones of the novel intriguing enough to keep reading, and I did in general enjoy it. I would certainly read another of LePore's novels. Recommended for fans of the genre.

Finished: 2/3/12
Source: review copy from publisher via NetGalley - thank you!
MPAA rating: R for language, violence, adult situations
My rating: 6/10