2015 Year in Review

Another year of books over!  Considering how busy my life became in August through early November, when my father went into the hospital and subsequently needed to go to inpatient rehab to regain his strength and ability to live independently, I am surprised at the number of books that I read.  39!  I made a concerted effort in the last 4 weeks of the year to try to get that number up to 40 but I just couldn't squeak out that last book in time.

It was a good year in books. I read quite a few from favorite authors, revisiting several older ones to get in the right frame of mind for the next in a favorite series. I cleared quite a few off of my nook bookshelves and my living room shelves as well. My book club made it back to our recent average of four books per year, too (I hope that this year we are able to make more time for each other and our favorite pastime together). I also discovered that I really enjoy reading memoirs. Guess you are never too old to add to your reading genre repertoire. Standouts this year include An Echo in the Bone, Defending Jacob (one of my favorites), The Rockin' Chair, Thirteen Reasons Why, Tricky Twenty Two, and The Girl on the Train.

Here's the breakdown of my reading list in 2015:

1. An Echo in the Bone
2. The Practice Proposal
3. Chasing Darkness
4. The Giver
5. A Discovery of Witches (book club)
6. The Mermaid Chair
7. Resisting the Bad Boy
8. Defending Jacob
9. It Ain't All About the Cookin'
10. Up from the Grave
11. Bound by Flames
12. The Job
13. Monarch Beach
14. Crossfire #1
15. Crossfire #2
16. Trial by Fire
17. The Mysterious Death of Miss Jane Austen (book club)
18. Chasing Fire
19. Wicked Appetite
20. Wicked Business
21. Wicked Charms
22. The Rockin' Chair
23. Thirteen Reasons Why (book club)
24. 77 Shadow Street
25. With or Without You
26. Summers at Blue Lake
27. 13 Little Blue Envelopes
28. The Racketeer
29. First Frost (book club)
30. Islanders box set #1
31. Islanders box set #2
32. Islanders box set #3
33. Islanders box set #4
34. Unbearable Lightness
35. The Scam
36. My Grandfather Would Have Shot Me
37. Top Secret Twenty One
38. Tricky Twenty Two
39. The Girl on the Train

The Girl on the Train

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins was one of the most talked about books of 2015. In my opinion, the novel lived up to the hype. Fast paced, intriguing and sometimes cringe worthy, this book kept my rapt attention long past my bedtime. The book was such a page turner that I finished just two days after I started it.

The book centers around Rachel, who rides the commuter train into London every day.  As she rides, she pays attention to the houses that the train passes, particularly a certain row of homes. Over time, she has made up stories for the people she sees in one of the houses. As the story unfolds, the reader learns more about Rachel's circumstances and then the story is interwoven between her point of view and the point of view of other characters.

I found (and in discussions with others who have read the book, I am not alone) that none of the characters was likable. The decisions Rachel makes made me cringe and shake my head.  But even though I didn't like her or the other characters her life is composed of, the book was fascinating and kept me turning the pages as fast as I could.  I believe that is a testament to the author's ability to weave an intricate plot, when you don't like the characters but still need to keep turning the pages.

This novel has been compared to Gone Girl, and while there are similarities in the genre (psychological thriller), the unlikable characters and the twists and turns, I found that the characters in this novel was not quite as shocking in their depravity and dysfunction as Gone Girl. That doesn't mean this one wasn't good.  Oh, it absolutely was, but it was a little more predictable than Gone Girl. If you have this one on your shelf, make sure you have the time to devote to reading it, because you won't want to put it down.

Happy Reading!

My Grandfather Would Have Shot Me: A Black Woman Discovers Her Family's Nazi Past

I have always been interested in the Holocaust and the surrounding history. I have read several novels centered around this dark part of the world's history, but never a non-fiction piece.  My Grandfather Would Have Shot Me: A Black Woman Discovers Her Family's Nazi Past by Jennifer Teege and Nikola Sellmair was a very interesting read.  It is a memoir written by Jennifer Teege with historical information and personal interviews, written by Nikola Sellmair. Typically we hear about or read about the side of the victims of the Holocaust.  This focused on the consequences on future generations of the perpetrators.

Jennifer Teege accidentally discovers a book, written by her biological mother, that reveals a shocking family history.  Her maternal grandfather was Amon Goeth, one of the Nazi movement's main perpetrators and part of the focus of the movie Schindler's List.  Jennifer is shocked and disturbed by her discovery and it sets her on a path to personal enlightenment.  Jennifer is mixed race, the product of a relationship between her German mother and her Nigerian father.  She never knew her father and was placed in a home for children and later for adoption because her mother simply could not care for her.  But she has some fond memories of her maternal grandmother. This is what Jennifer mostly has to come to terms with: the grandmother she adored, and who always doted on her, was in love with the monster that was Amon Goeth.

Mixed with Jennifer's first person account of her journey through this discovery, is Nikola Sellmair's history lesson.  This makes the book a little choppy, but each of Nikola's short pieces is directly related to the section written by Jennifer directly before it.  Included are personal interviews with some of Jennifer's friends and family, and interesting information on the sociology of adopted children, and the descendants of members of the Nazi movement. It is a necessary piece of the puzzle that helps the reader understand not only the history of the time, but also the ramifications for future generations.

Overall this was a very interesting book of how a woman comes to grips with a past she didn't realize existed within her family, but also how she finally comes to understand why she was put up for adoption and that the family she never felt fit, was truly her family all along.  But it is also a look at how this history has been handled within the European community. The theme of how the later generations dealt with their disturbing family history was something I had never really considered.  Jennifer Teege is my own age.  There is a whole generation of people my own age whose grandparents took part in one of the darkest parts of our history.  While I understood that my own parents were babies when this all took place, and that is part of the reason this time period has always fascinated me, I never took it one more generation forward or backward and certainly not from the Nazi sympathizer side of the story. This memoir was informative and eye opening, and I am glad that Jennifer Teege shared her story.

Happy Reading!

First Frost

Sarah Addison Allen puts something a little mystical in her novels, and First Frost is no exception.  In this sweet book, we meet the gifted and talented Waverly sisters once again (previously featured in Garden Spells).  This edition can stand on its own and is no less magical.

Claire's catering business has taken a turn in another direction and has taken off.  But she realizes making candy isn't her passion, no matter the public's passion for her candy.  Sydney is trying to expand her family and raise her teenage daughter who seems to be rebelling against what Sydney wants for her. Bay (Sydney's daughter) knows just where she belongs. In fact, she knows where everything belongs, but she has to convince an unwilling boy first, otherwise she might not find her true happiness. First frost is always a time of upheaval for the Waverly family and things are just off balance.  A mysterious stranger comes to town with nefarious plans, things aren't going as planned for any of the Waverly women, the men in the family remain as steadfast as ever, and as the mystery of their family's past and this stranger begin to unravel, they must lean on each other to get through this year's first frost.

If you like Sarah Addison Allen, this one is one to add to your 'to be read' list. If you are new to her writing, I would suggest either Garden Spells or The Sugar Queen be your first.  While First Frost is delectable and I enjoyed it, I enjoyed the other two more.

Happy Reading!

(As an aside, my book club and I won copies of this novel from the publisher for entering a book club contest. How cool is that?)

Summers at Blue Lake

Jill Althouse-Wood's Summers at Blue Lake was a good story.  Unexpected little twists and a surprise that leaves the reader wondering if they would do the same thing.

The story focuses on a woman going through a divorce.  She and her son head to the house on Blue Lake where she spent summers as a child. The house belonged to her grandparents, who have both since died.  She spends her time clearing things out and in the process reflecting on them, her past and her future.  She rekindles an old relationship and an old romance.

Along the way, a secret is revealed; a big secret that her grandparents kept. She has to figure out what she will do with the information.  That is the question that the reader is left wondering about.  Would you do the same thing?  I am not sure that I would have.

This was a very interesting book with characters you can care about and a plot unlike any other I have ever read.  I would recommend it.

Happy Reading!

The Rockin' Chair

The Rockin' Chair, by Steven Manchester, is an emotional novel about family history and repairing the hurts the world can impose and those that we cause each other.  John McCarthy, the patriarch of the McCarthy family, is at the center of this beautiful story. With his wife, Alice, he created a wonderful life and attempted to raise his son to the best of his ability.  But people see history differently, and his son doesn't feel his father's love.  That history is passed down to a third generation, and Grandpa John's grand kids have a world of hurt that is all their own.  When his beloved Alice dies after a heartbreaking fight with dementia, Grandpa John realizes that he has work to do to repair his family before he can join his beautiful wife.

This story was incredibly touching and beautifully written.  With the back drop of a picturesque Montana farm, Steven Manchester artfully weaves this family's tale told through both present time and each person's memories.  As I read this book, and fell in love with this family, I found it amazing that two people who share the same experience can see it so differently.  One believes he has done the best to show his son his love without making him soft, the other feels that nothing he can do is ever good enough and that he is a constant disappointment.  A father who works so hard because everything he has will be his son's, and a son who doesn't feel his father's love. John McCarthy realizes the mistakes he made before it is too late though, and does everything he can to right the past.

The book is filled with an old man's wisdom, gained from a life time of experiences.  It is wisdom that I think each of us can use to better our own lives.  As I finished the last page, the words within had me thinking of my own experiences and my sometimes difficult relationship with my mother who had her own demons. It's too late for me to fix things with my mother, she died three years ago.  It's too late for me to offer any kind of forgiveness to her, although I tried to show it in the last few weeks of her life as I cared for her.  This book imparts the wisdom that showing it isn't the same thing as saying it, because many times our actions are not seen for what we mean them to be, unless we voice our thoughts along with them.

What I also realized is that I need to make sure my kids know every day that their parents are proud of them, and love them unconditionally. Otherwise they will receive the same legacy of always seeking approval and never feeling that they measure up.

This book is an example of why we should never stop reading.  Reading is enjoyment but more than that, to read is to learn, even through the experiences of fictional characters.

Happy Reading!

Trial by Fire

Trial by Fire by Nancy Taylor Rosenberg is a legal thriller.  Ms. Rosenberg keeps you turning the pages with action, suspense and mystery.  The final who done it reveal isn't until the last pages, making this a very fast read.  Published 19 years ago, this novel is still a page turner today.

Stella Cataloni is a D.A that is rising to the top.  She hasn't lost a case, and isn't about to start now especially since she is the one who has been accused.  Being blamed for the fire that killed her parents when she was a teenager and for murdering the only other eye witness that fateful night, it is a race to find out who the real murderer is.  But can Stella find out before her own life is taken?  Ugly family secrets and a past that won't rest, combined with an blood thirsty adversary in the prosecuting D.A., this will be Stella's most difficult case to crack and its her own freedom that hangs in the balance.

This was a fast paced, quick read.  Even though technology and forensic science have come a long way since the publish date, the novel's age did not detract from the story.  If anything, knowing that there were not technology advances available to the investigation that would be available today, added to the suspense.  This is definitely an enjoyable mystery, with plenty of action, violence, lust and suspense.

Happy Reading!

The Job

Janet Evanovich's and Lee Goldberg's The Job is the latest in the series with FBI agent Kate O'Hare and con man Nick Fox.  It is another fast paced, high stakes, fun romp with these two misfits.

In The Job, Kate and Nick must figure out who is impersonating him while pulling off art thefts across Europe. When they discover the perpetrator, the real fun begins in their plan to take down one of the most dangerous and elusive criminals known internationally.  As with the other novels in this series, the plot is elaborate and unique.  This one fell a little short for me, though.  I thought the con job was thrown at the reader quickly and found holes I wanted the authors to fill.  It wasn't as funny as the other novels in the series either.  While you get glimpses of the cast of characters that readers are growing to love, it just wasn't enough.  I felt like Janet's voice in this was overshadowed, as the book lacked the romantic tension and humor felt in her other works.

I still recommend it if you love the adventures of Kate, Nick and their band of assistants.  It just isn't my favorite in the series.

Happy Reading!

Up From the Grave / Bound by Flames

I devoured these two novels by Jeaniene Frost, both continuations of two series.  Up From the Grave is the seventh book in the Night Huntress series, featuring Cat and Bones.  Bound by Flames is the third in the Night Prince  series, featuring Vlad and Leila.  These novels did not disappoint, and if you are a fan of the series I recommend them.  They are both action packed, with plenty of gore, revenge, battles and romance. If you are not a fan of the series, but enjoy paranormal romance with grit or vampire lore then I highly recommend this series to you. Observing the growth of these characters throughout the series has been fun. If you visit Jeaniene Frost's website, you can obtain the reading order for these two series and another spin off or two.

Happy Reading!

It Ain't All About the Cookin'

Paula Deen's memoir, It Ain't All About the Cookin', was a fascinating look into the private family and business life of the Southern restaurant and cooking show queen. This book was very personal, from getting her period, having sex, race relations in the South, mistakes she made as a mother...and that's all within the first 20 pages! It was also honest, and a page turner to the end.

Paula leaves nothing out and the reader feels as if she is simply sitting at Paula's kitchen table having a cup of coffee and a chat.  One can hear Paula's Southern twang while reading all about her childhood, growing up during the civil rights movement, her close knit family, her difficult first marriage, the death of her parents and subsequent agoraphobia issues, raising her boys, taking risks to start her first business, all the way through the huge success she has become and finding her true love.  Through it all the importance of family shines through, and her love of Southern food and cooking. Interspersed through the book there are personal recipes that hold a special significance, some of which have never been shared before.

I truly enjoyed reading this memoir, and it made me more interested in the genre. I was a little sad when the book was over, because it meant that personal time with Paula was over. If you have ever enjoyed her cooking shows or smiled when she says "butta" in her Southern drawl, I think you would enjoy this intimate look into her life and what makes Paula Deen the queen of Southern cooking.

Happy Reading, y'all!

Defending Jacob

William Landay's Defending Jacob is a courtroom drama that includes family dynamics, murder and mystery.  It will hook you right away and keep you tuned in until the last page, and even then doesn't let go.

Andy Barber is an Assistant District Attorney.  He is at the top of his game, head of the class and loving his life with his beautiful wife and teenage son, Jacob.  Then one day, with one case, his world starts to fall apart.  One of Jacob's classmates is murdered and, as the title indicates, Jacob is charged with the murder.  Suddenly, Andy is on the other side of the courtroom trying to keep his son out of prison.  The book asks, "How far would you go to protect your child?"  The decisions that Jacob's parents make throughout the book and the ways that they try to keep their family together engage the reader in a series of "what would I do?" moments.

Through a few flash-forward moments in the book, the reader begins to realize they are reading a story that is not just about this one murder.  The story continues beyond the trial, even though the reader doesn't know how that trial will conclude just yet.  Something else is coming.  William Landay effectively makes the reader think that critical moment has arrived, but oh no, Dear Reader, he isn't finished with you yet.

This story left me shaken at the end.  As a parent, as a mother, it affected me wholly.  Defending Jacob is one of those books that when you close the back cover, you need to take a reader's break before opening up whatever is next up in you queue.

This was my first Landay read, and I will absolutely look for his other works.  Highly recommend!

(My copy of Defending Jacob had an interview with William Landay included at the end of the book which was very interesting, as well.)

Happy Reading!

A Discovery of Witches

Deborah Harkness's first entry in the All Souls Trilogy, A Discovery of Witches is one of my book club's picks.  This novel, set in modern times between Oxford, France and New England, is an intriguing story of witches, vampires and daemons. Unlike many other supernatural tales of wizardry and vampires, this one is rooted in science, history, alchemy and ancient texts.

Diana Bishop, descendant of some of the most powerful witches, has hidden from her otherworldly talents for most of her life.  Refusing to use them except on very rare occasions, she has built a solid reputation as a scholar of historical alchemy texts.  On a research mission for her latest speaking engagement, she discovers an ancient tome that is enchanted.  This particular manuscript is highly sought after in the world of wizards, vampires and daemons.  Once it is learned that Diana has called this text, her life is suddenly in danger.  One of the creatures most interested in the book is Matthew Clairmont, an ancient vampire.  But soon his interest covers more than just the ancient text, and his life becomes about protecting that which is most important to him.

Fantastical, smart, scholarly, exciting, a bit gruesome at times...this novel has it all.  Adventure and romance, but not of the trashy sort.  This is one our book club unanimously enjoyed.  The reader will fall in love with Diana and Matthew and the host of characters that surround them.  I can't wait to read the next book in the trilogy.

Happy Reading!

The Giver

I just closed the back cover on The Giver, by Lois Lowry.  Late to the game, again, I know.  My 12 year old son read it for school this year and he wanted me to read it.  Anyway, normally I don't feel the need to blog about a book as soon as I finish it, but this book left me feeling the need to get to my computer right away.

The Giver is an engrossing story that is written beautifully.  As much as I would love to be a writer, and as many ideas as I have for constructing a novel, it is books like this one that give me pause.  I know that I could never write as beautifully as this.

This is another dystopian young adult novel in a sea of them, it seems.  But this one was written over 20 years ago and has stood the test of time, becoming a required reading novel in middle schools.  The novel grabs you right away.  Jonas, the main character, is likable almost instantly and the reader is curious about him immediately.  Jonas lives in a world of sameness where everyone is satisfied and there are very clear rules that all people obey.  He is approaching his 12th year, a pivotal year in which he will be given his life assignment.  But when that happens, he is assigned a special role in the community, a role that is highly respected but others know very little about.  This sets Jonas on a journey that makes him different in the world of sameness and ultimately has him breaking the rules to save someone that he loves.

I would highly recommend the book.  Low on action, but high on beauty, feeling and intelligence.  I have yet to see the movie; the rest of my family watched it but knowing that I was going to read the book I chose to wait.  After finishing the novel, I am not sure I want to see the movie.  The novel is quite ambiguous at its end.  I am left feeling unsatisfied in a way.  I needed to go talk to my boys, who both read the book for school, to get their opinions and feelings on what they think the ending meant.  There are three other books in this quartet, but they tell me that they are about other characters, not Jonas (although my oldest tells me that Jonas makes an appearance in one of the other novels).  So my questions will go unanswered it seems and the author has left it up to me to determine what happened to my beloved Jonas.  I wish I could have spent more time with him.

Happy Reading!

2014 Wrap-up

I fell off the blogging wagon this year and did not keep up with blogging about the books I was reading.  I didn't even keep very good track of the books that I did read.  After the last post here, I didn't log the books I read anywhere so I had to go back and try to remember.  As a result, all of the books I read this year are not listed below.  But here is is anyway...the books that I remember reading this year.  The list totals only 25 books.  While I did not have as much time to read this year and am sure I did not hit 40 like last year, I am sure I read more than 25, and the Outlander series books (A Breath of Snow and Ashes, which is included here, and An Echo in the Bone, which will be on 2015s list because I finished it after the new year where both over 1,200 pages and took the last three months of the year to read).  Ah well, maybe this year I can track them better.

Highlights included the Outlander series, A Breath of Snow and Ashes, which was so good I had to start the next in the series as soon as I finished it (An Echo in the Bone which I just finished after the start of the new year). The Fault in our Stars was excellent and the Divergent series was very enjoyable. The 5th Wave was also very good and I look forward to reading the rest of that series. Jodi Piccoult's Lone Wolf was also an excellent read.

Happy Reading!

1. Exclusively Yours
2. On the Street Where You Live
3. Code Blue
4. The Room-Mating Season
5. A World I Never Made
6. Executive Decision
7. Prior Bad Acts
8. Snatched
9. The Front Porch Prophet
10. The Compound
11. The Tycoon and the Texan
12. A Perfect Day
13. Father of the Bride
14. Ash Wednesday
15. The Fallout
16. Divergent
17. Insurgent
18. Allegiant
19. The 5th Wave
20. The Fault in our Stars
21. The Chase
22. Big Boned
23. Size 14 Isn't Fat Either
24. Size 12 Is Not Fat
25. A Breath of Snow and Ashes

Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday is a novel by Ethan Hawke.  Yes, that Ethan Hawke.  It is a gritty tale of love, fear, and the future for a young couple at the beginning of their lives together.  Told from Jimmy's perspective, this story is a roller coaster ride of emotions and cringe worthy moments as these two people make mistakes along the road.

Jimmy and Christy are in love.  They are immature, even though they are old enough not to be, seemingly floating through life day to day without very much structure or commitment to anything.  Oddly enough, Jimmy is in the Army for the structure it provided in his life.  Christy is pregnant and going back home.  Her plans do not include Jimmy, until he finds her and makes her see how much she means to him.  He goes AWOL and they embark on a road trip from NY to Ohio, New Orleans and Texas, so that they can both face their pasts and try to move forward together.

A bit slow moving at times, this novel does grip the reader.  Full of emotion and grit, it is an intense story of this couple's journey trying to find their way and find out if they should try to make this relationship work.  This one is worth checking out if you are a fan of Hawke.

Happy Reading!

Father of the Bride (audiobook)

Barbara Delinsky's Father of the Bride is a mature romance novel.  Originally published in 2004, this is a love story about two people who lost each other years ago due to the circumstances of life.  Now, 25 years later, they are meeting again and their love for each other still exists as strongly as it did years ago.

Cynthia and Russ had a whirlwind romance when they were in their late teens.  When she finds herself pregnant, all dreams get put on hold as the two marry and try to raise their daughter together.  Cynthia is from a wealthy family and Russ is not.  Cynthia's family disowns her when she marries Russ and the two of them have to try to make it with no help.  Financial troubles, though, pull them apart.  Russ realizes that if he leaves, Cynthia's family will take her back and his beloved wife and daughter will be better off.  So he abandons them, with the best of intentions.  Twenty-five years later, their daughter is getting married and wants him to walk her down the aisle.  Cynthia and Russ haven't had any contact since he left her.  Both have matured and changed, but will they get through the wedding civilly?  Can they each put aside their hurt feelings over the past and find a way to move forward together?

I listened to this audiobook and was kept entertained.  It was a bit predictable and trite, but still enjoyable.  It is short and sweet, and if the reader can get over the idea of Russ leaving his wife and daughter (regardless of intentions, that move is kind of hard to forgive) then I think the reader can root for this couple to find each other again.  If you are looking for something quick and sweet to read, this one might leave you satisfied.

Happy Reading!

A Perfect Day

Richard Paul Evans has a knack for writing great contemporary fiction with mature romance.  A Perfect Day fit his niche perfectly.  Written about a man who has his lifelong dream come true only to then realize that his success might come at the cost of his family, this novel is a fast, touching read.

Robert Harlen does not have the career of his dreams.  He works for a small radio station, in the advertising department.  But, he does have a wonderful family, a wife and daughter he adores, and a passion for writing.  So he is happy (sort of) living day to day in a job he doesn't love because the rest of his life is pretty perfect.  When he loses his job, his wife encourages him to follow his real passion and write the book he has always wanted to write.  He gets the novel published and it becomes a huge success.  Robert finally has everything he always wanted.  Except that the life that this new fame gives him is not exactly the life that his family wanted, and maybe it isn't all it is cracked up to be.  The commitment to get his book sold and the appearances he has to make once it gains popularity are putting a strain on his marriage.  Through a series of his own decisions, he puts everything he loved about his life before in jeopardy and becomes someone of which he is not proud.  A stranger comes along and begins helping him see what he has given up in order to chase his dream.  Will he realize it and be able to correct his mistakes before it is too late, before he loses everything?

This was a very fast read (I read it on one lazy Sunday) and quite satisfying.  I found myself falling in love with Robert's family, then cringing as he began his downfall with them, and rooting for him to fix it all before his time ran out.  The element of the mysterious stranger was a nice twist to the story.  I would recommend this one to anyone looking for a good contemporary, chick lit type book.

Happy Reading!

The Tycoon & The Texan

The Tycoon and the Texan by Phyllis Miranda was an awful book.  It was a Barnes & Noble Free Fridays download that was a complete waste of my time (not that I don't appreciate the free books B&N offers every Friday - no complaints for them from this happy, voracious reader).  This novel was silly, stupid romance with a plot that made very little sense, a back story for the two main characters that made no sense at all and no character consistency.  This is one of those romances that makes me believe the author thinks her audience is made up of idiots and makes this reader disgusted with the genre.  I am not going to give it any more of my time.  Skip this one.

Happy Reading!

The Compound

S.A. Bodeen's young adult novel, The Compound, was a fascinating, fun, fast paced realistic fiction novel.  This novel was thought provoking and interesting.  I read it with my book club.  All four of us enjoyed the book and could not wait to get together to discuss it.

Eli Yanakakis and his family escaped a nuclear crisis by running to the Compound, a shelter created by his extremely wealthy father with most of the comforts of home.  But his twin brother and his grandmother didn't make it.  Wracked with guilt, Eli spends the next six years distancing himself from his parents and his siblings and the things that are happening in the Compound.  But a discovery has him questioning his father's motives and whether a nuclear event even happened.  With a fascinating look at what it takes to keep a family of 5 alive underground for six years and at the family dynamic when faced with such circumstances, this novel keeps the reader turning the pages.  With its dramatic conclusion, the reader is left wondering about the future of this family and there is the perfect set up for the follow up novel, The Fallout.

This was a great read.  Sometimes the symbolism is overstated, but one must remember that the audience is a younger one.  I found that easy to overlook, as were some of the more unrealistic aspects of the shelter, because the plot was so good and the characters so engaging.  Highly recommend this one.

Happy Reading!

The Front Porch Prophet

Raymond L. Atkins' The Front Porch Prophet is a compelling story about a group of seemingly misfits in a small town in Georgia.  The reader grows to care about and even love the characters, even the unlovable ones.  Engaging and affecting, this novel is about a lot more than it initially seems.

A.J. Longstreet and Eugene Purdue have been best friends since childhood.  One a trouble maker, rude and obnoxious son of a gun and the other a nice, well meaning and hard working sort.  They make an odd couple and an entertaining one.  Eugene has pushed away most of the people in his life, including A.J.  But now that he has been diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer, he turns to his longtime friend for help and asks him to kill him when the time is right.  A.J. is faced with a dilemma, but before he faces that dilemma he helps Eugene make things right with the people he has pushed away.

The two reconnect and take the reader on a journey into the past that shapes for the reader the lives of who these two are today.  Joined by a cast of unforgettable characters, this book is funny, smart and heart warming.  By the end of the book, this motley crew feels almost like family.  This was a great read and one I would absolutely recommend.  Thanks Barnes & Noble for this Free Friday pick!

Happy Reading!