Review/Clarity by Kim Harrington

When you can see things others can't, where do you look for the truth? 

This paranormal murder mystery will have teens reading on the edge of their seats. 

Clarity "Clare" Fern sees things. Things no one else can see. Things like stolen kisses and long-buried secrets. All she has to do is touch a certain object, and the visions come to her. It's a gift. 

And a curse. 

When a teenage girl is found murdered, Clare's ex-boyfriend wants her to help solve the case--but Clare is still furious at the cheating jerk. Then Clare's brother--who has supernatural gifts of his own--becomes the prime suspect, and Clare can no longer look away. Teaming up with Gabriel, the smoldering son of the new detective, Clare must venture into the depths of fear, revenge, and lust in order to track the killer. But will her sight fail her just when she needs it most?

Kim Harrington’s debut novel Clarity has been highly anticipated since the first peek of the book's beautiful cover made its rounds on the blogs. Like everyone else, I was excited about reading the book, and I am happy to say that not only was I not at all disappointed, but I  hope that Harrington has plans to write more about Clarity and her family.

Clare (Clarity) Fern is one terrific character. She lives in a small coastal town on Cape Cod with her mother, and brother. The family earns their living as psychics, which makes Clarity a freak in the eyes of most of her (townie peers). What I loved about Clarity was her ability to ignore or stand up to those who ridiculed her about her ability, and her unerring strength. Unlike many YA characters whose decision often stem from their emotions, most of Clarity’s decisions are well thought out.  I also loved the strong family unit and Clarity’s loyalty especially to her brother. Finally, I applaud Clarity’s wherewithal to stand her ground with her ex-boyfriend, who cheated on her with the town skank, even though he did seem extremely sincere about his feelings for Clarity.

Aside from the great characterization, I was also very impressed with Harrington’s plot, which revolves around the murder of a teenage girl. Clarity is asked to help her ex-boyfriend whose father is the mayor of Eastport by using her psychic abilities in an unofficial capacity. She is teamed up with Gabriel, the son of Eastport’s new detective, who is less than thrilled to be working with a psychic. Sparks fly, both romantically and otherwise as Clarity and Gabriel investigate the murder. There are political implications thrown in for good measure, and the fact that Clarity’s brother, who is a bit of a player, spent part of the evening with the dead girl only adds to the suspense. While I tried to figure out whodunit, Harrington successfully threw in enough red herrings that the ending was not as predictable as I thought.

In the end, I found Clarity to be a fast-paced engaging read with a satisfying ending. I also am quite sure that there is much more to learn about Clarity and her family, and will be looking forward to Harrington’s next book.

Source: Receive ARC copy from Publisher

As part of my 21 Day Blogoversary & Birthday Bash you can enter to win your own ARC copy of Clarity here.

Review/Desires of the Dead by Kim Derting

The missing dead call to Violet. They want to be found.

When Violet Ambrose's morbid ability to sense the echoes of those who've been murdered leads her to the body of a young boy, she draws the attention of the FBI. She is reluctantly pulled into an investigation that will endanger more than just her secret...but her relationship and possibly her life as well.(Publisher's summary from Goodreads) 

Anyone who has read The Body Finder will definitely enjoy Kim Derting’s new mystery Desires of the Dead. Many of the elements that made The Body Finder suspenseful and exciting are present again and will have readers turning pages to find out what happens next.

One of the many aspects of Derting’s first book that I thoroughly enjoyed was Violet and Jay’s budding relationship. I was very pleased to find they were not only very much together, but Violet, who was hesitant about committing to Jay is now totally and completely in love. Jay is still a strong protective guy and a very stable force in Violet’s life. However, not everything about the relationship is copacetic. Violet is still struggling with the fact that Jay was almost killed because of her ability to find the dead, whose desires to be discovered overwhelm her so completely that her normally ration decision making processes are in jeopardy every time her senses are assaulted.

Derting also introduces a new element in Desires of the Dead  that has me very excited about the Violet’s future and more books. When Violet finds what she knows is a dead body locked in a shipping container, she leaves an anonymous 911 call, which a new character, Sara, traces back to her. Sara, once a FBI agent now working on her own as a consultant, knows Violet has a secret and wants her to work with her.  Violet, however, avoids admitting anything to Sara about her ability. While I did find some of parts of this aspect of the novel tedious at times, I do see some very interesting possibilities that will stem from Sara’s appearance, including Rafe, another  new character with a secret, who works with Sara. I might even go as far as seeing a love triangle in Violet and Jay’s future. For now the book definitely leaves the reader wondering what is in store for Violet next.

Even though I really enjoyed Desire of the Dead, I did not find the mystery quite as thrilling as the serial killer in The Body Finders. Much of the plot was predictable and I was fairly certain about who was once again threatening Violet’s life. There is a twist in the end, but the climax was not as suspenseful as I would have liked. Still Desire of the Dead is a page turner, and Derting’s imagination and writing held my interest throughout. I will definitely be looking forward to reading more about Violet and have no doubt that Derting’s next book in this series will be a hit. 

 Source: ARC copy from publishers

Desire of the Dead is due to be released Feb. 15, 2011; however, I am giving away an ARC copy of the book here as part of my 21 Day Blogoversary & Birthday Bash.

Review/ Virals by Kathy Reichs

Tory Brennan, niece of acclaimed forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan (of the Bones novels and hit TV show), is the leader of a ragtag band of teenage "sci-philes" who live on a secluded island off the coast of South Carolina. When the group rescues a dog caged for medical testing on a nearby island, they are exposed to an experimental strain of canine parvovirus that changes their lives forever.  As the friends discover their heightened senses and animal-quick reflexes, they must combine their scientific curiosity with their new found physical gifts to solve a cold-case murder that has suddenly become very hot--if they can stay alive long enough to catch the killer's scent. Fortunately, they are now more than friends--they're a pack. They are Virals. (Publisher's comments from Amazon)

 As a big fan of the TV series Bones, when I first read the summary for Virals I was pretty sure that I would like it. I was wrong...I loved it. Virals is a riveting adventure that pulled me in and had me reading all 446 pages in one sitting. I am hooked and I want more.

Tory narrates this fast paced story and is the leader of a group of three other boys all living on a South Carolina island owned by S.C. University. She is smart, confident, and filled with curiosity. Plus, she has a way of talking the guys into doing things they might not ordinarily do.When the four teens stumble across an old dog tag, an investigation into its owner changes their lives forever and nearly gets them killed.

Reich’s plot is multi-layered and the mystery of the disappearing girl is only one part of the complex plot that had me flying through Virals' pages. Tory was a terrific narrator, and Reich’s dialogue made not only Tory come alive for me but Ben, Shelton, and Hi too. All four of the characters are smart in varying ways, but not so geeky that they are over the top. As the mystery unfolds, the four also begin to realize that they each are developing unusual physical abilities turning their friendship into something more.

Virals is the first of what I hope will be a great new YA series, where each of the characters Reich has introduced are involved in solving more mysteries. This is definitely a book that I will be recommending not only to my students, but as an addition to next years book battle list. Virals is due for release  November 2, 2010.

Source: Received ARC copy from Traveling ARC Tours

About the Author:

Kathy Reichs’s first novel Déjà Dead catapulted her to fame when it became a New York Times bestseller and won the 1997 Ellis Award for Best First Novel. Her other Temperance Brennan novels include Death du Jour, Deadly Décisions, Fatal Voyage, Grave Secrets, Bare Bones, Monday Mourning, Cross Bones, Break No Bones, Bones to Ashes, Devil Bones, and 206 Bones, Spider Bones (August, 2010). Dr. Reichs is a producer of the hit Fox TV series, Bones, which is based on her work and her novels. Virals is Reichs' first YA novel.

From teaching FBI agents how to detect and recover human remains, to separating and identifying commingled body parts in her Montreal lab, as a forensic anthropologist Kathy Reichs has brought her own dramatic work experience to her mesmerizing forensic thrillers. For years she consulted to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in North Carolina, and continues to do so for the Laboratoire de Sciences Judiciaires et de Médecine Légale for the province of Québec. Dr. Reichs has travelled to Rwanda to testify at the UN Tribunal on Genocide, and helped exhume a mass grave in Guatemala. As part of her work at JPAC (Formerly CILHI) she aided in the identification of war dead from World War II, Korea, and Southeast Asia. Dr. Reichs also assisted with identifying remains found at ground zero of the World Trade Center following the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Dr. Reichs is one of only eighty-two forensic anthropologists ever certified by the American Board of Forensic Anthropology. She served on the Board of Directors and as Vice President of both the American Academy of Forensic Sciences and the American Board of Forensic Anthropology, and is currently a member of the National Police Services Advisory Council in Canada. She is a Professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte.

Dr. Reichs is a native of Chicago, where she received her Ph.D. at Northwestern. She now divides her time between Charlotte, NC and Montreal, Québec. (From Kathy Reichs' website)

Review/ Beautiful Dead: Arizona

ISBN: 9781402239458
Author: Maguire, Eden
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Publication Date: October 2010

There's been no sign of the Beautiful Dead for weeks. Darina achingly misses Phoenix all over again. But surely he will return with the rest of the Beautiful Dead as so much still remains unresolved. It's been ten months since Arizona drowned in Hartmann Lake. Suicide, it would seem. But something doesn't add up. Drowning herself in a hidden-away lake does not sound like strong, confident, Arizona: Ellerton High School's high-maintenance drama queen. Darina needs to help Arizona the way she helped Jonas. But time is running out ...

Not having read Eden Maguire’s first book in the Beautiful Dead series I had no expectations when I began reading book two, Beautiful Dead: Arizona. While I found myself a bit lost at first, I quickly caught on to what I found to be an extremely fascinating and suspenseful story.

The plot of Beautiful Dead: Arizona revolves around Darina, who is very much alive, and very much in love with Phoenix, one of several beautiful dead, who have recently died under unusual circumstances. Each of the beautiful dead have come out of limbo to find out the particulars of their deaths and Darina is a link to the world of the living. Without her help, they cannot find peace. As long as Darina is helping she is allowed to see Phoenix. In this second book, Darina has only a few months to find out whether Arizona committed suicide by drowning and the story follows Darina’s investigation while providing more insight into the beautiful dead.

I was really thrilled with most of the characters in the story. From the beginning of the book, it is obvious that Darina, is way over the top in love with Phoenix and is willing to do anything to keep him around. Darina, has lot more courage than I would have dealing with both the dead and the living. She stand up to Hunter (Darina calls him the zombie overlord and at times he is one scary dead guy), and she boldly investigates Arizona’s life, which ends up putting her in harms way several times. I could also understand Darina’s feelings for Phoenix, who even in death loves her and wants to protect her and keep her safe. Finally, like Darina, I found it hard to like Arizona, but as the story unfolds and Darina delves deeper into Arizona’s death by drowning, Maguire slowly reveals important information about Arizona and here life, which helps explain a lot about her complex and abrasive attitude.

Beautiful Dead: Arizona is a quick read, and the combination of paranormal and mystery was very exciting. Maguire incorporates a sense of immediacy to Darina’s  investigation into Arizona’s death and creates tension and suspense scene by scene. One aspect that I really liked about this series is that the ending did not leave me hanging. Maguire ties up all the loose ends of Arizona’s death, so that in the book three, Darina she can move onto the next beautiful dead’s death.  She also connects this book with the first book about Jonas, and provides enough foreshadowing to definitely hook me into wanting to know what will happen next. I am also very interested in how Maguire will eventually help Darina deal with her strong attachment to Phoenix, but I won’t get the answer to that until book four.

If you enjoy the paranormal, romance, and mysteries then I recommend you give Beautiful Dead: Arizona a read. I will definitely be back tracking to read book one and will be anxious to read book three and four when they are released.

Source: Received ARC from publisher

Review/ Manifest by Artist Arthur

When fifteen-year-old Krystal Bentley moves to Lincoln, Connecticut, her mom's hometown, she assumes her biggest drama will be adjusting to the burbs after living in New York City. But Lincoln is nothing like Krystal imagined. The weirdness begins when Ricky Watson starts confiding in her. He's cute, funny, a good listener—and everything she'd ever want—except that he was killed nearly a year ago. Krystal's ghost-whispering talents soon lead other "freaks" to her door—Sasha, a rich girl who can literally disappear, and Jake, who moves objects with his mind. All three share a distinctive birthmark in the shape of an M and, fittingly, call themselves the Mystyx. They set out to learn what really happened to Ricky, only to realize that they aren't the only ones with mysterious powers. But if Krystal succeeds in finding out the truth about Ricky's death, will she lose him for good?

In her debut YA novel, Artist Arthur writes a suspense filled story that had me reading non-stop and left me wanting more.

Manifest’s cultural diverse cast of characters and its paranormal mystery is a definite treat. It is also a terrific coming of age story. While Krystal does come off as snarky especially with her mother and new step-father, I was not put off by this at all. After all, she has been uprooted from NYC to a small town in Connecticut, she hasn’t a clue why her mother divorced her father, and she has a ghost badgering her for help. I’m thinking I might be a bit cranky too. Eventually, Krystal learns all the particulars of her parent’s break-up, and to her credit Krystal makes amends.

The plot revolves around Ricky a ghost who has asked Krystal to help him figure out who murdered him. As Krystal begins to understand why it is that she is able to see ghosts, she also begins to make friends with Sasha and Jake who like her have abilities that are manifesting and are tied to a mysterious birth-mark that all three of them have.  Together they attempt to not only help Ricky, but to seek out answers about themselves.

I found Arthur’s characters completely relatable and the dialog authentic. The addition of sex-texting added a creep factor to the mystery and helped build tension. Arthur also threw in enough red herrings that it took me a few false guesses before I figured out who killed Ricky.

Since this is the first book in a series, there are of course a lot of questions left unanswered, about Kyrstal and her friend’s abilities, but I am sure that Arthur will provide more in the next book.

I thoroughly enjoyed Manifest. It is a great addition to the YA genre appealing not only to those who love the paranormal, but mysteries too.

Source: ARC copy received through We Love YA Tours

Review/ Heist Society by Ally Carter

When Katarina Bishop was three, her parents took her to the Louvre...to case it. For her seventh birthday, Katarina and her Uncle Eddie traveled to Austria...to steal the crown jewels. When Kat turned fifteen, she planned a con of her own--scamming her way into the best boarding school in the country, determined to leave the family business behind. Unfortunately, leaving the life for a normal life proves harder than she'd expected.

Soon, Kat's friend and former co-conspirator, Hale, appears out of nowhere to bring her back into the world she tried so hard to escape. But he has good reason: a powerful mobster's art collection has been stolen, and he wants it returned. Only a master thief could have pulled this job, and Kat’s father isn’t just on the suspect list, he is the list. Caught between Interpol and a far more deadly enemy, Kat’s dad needs her help.

For Kat there is only one solution: track down the paintings and steal them back. So what if it’s a spectacularly impossible job? She’s got two weeks, a teenage crew, and hopefully just enough talent to pull off the biggest heist in her family’s (very crooked) history--and, with any luck, steal her life back along the way. (Publisher's comments from Powell's Book)

The Heist Society is a totally fun and refreshing respite from many of the YA books I have been reading. The reason? Well, for one, the plot is rather unique. There are no vampires, werewolves, or faeries, it does not revolve around the mean girl scene, and romance is not the driving force behind the storyline. Instead Ally Carter combines her “love of con movies” and “fascination with bad guys who are the good guys” and gives her readers Kat, a member of a long-standing family of thieves, whose desire to escape the world she was raised in suddenly becomes complicated by her devotion to her dad. Added to this conflict, Carter provides a very scary bad guy, Arturo Taccone, historical references to Nazi lootings of masterpieces, and a mythical master thief, Visily Romani. When all these elements collide, you have an exciting adventure with an ingeniously crafted heist.

In addition to the unique plot, Carter’s characterization is beguiling. Kat the spunky main character is intelligent, loyal, with an intriguingly rational mind. One of the traits I liked best was her spontaneous banter and wit. Carter used carefully crafted dialogue to highlight this trait throughout the story. Hale, who is a bit of an enigma, is an alluring characters too. He is humorous with a roguish appeal that is hard to resist. Although Kat and Hale have only known each other for a couple of years, the ease in their repartee was a red flag that some deeper feelings were yet to be explored, and definitely something to look forward to in an upcoming sequel.

While on the surface Heist Society is about thieves, and may incur criticism about the morality of glorifying stealing, my answer to such criticism is that the story is really about family loyalty, and righting wrongs. Sadly, in our world, not everything is simply good or bad. Sometimes good people do bad things for the right reasons, which is exactly why I believe Carter created Visily Romani’s as the impetus that set Kat and her band of merry thieves off to right the wrongs of Arturo Taccone.  For me, this was a stroke of genius that made the Heist Society a Robin Hood tale with a twist. Carter definitely has a lot to work with, and I expect that the Heist Society 2 will bring back Visily Romani, and find Kat and her friends off to right more wrongs.

Source: Book Purchased

Review/ The Prince of Mist by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

It's wartime, and the Carver family decides to leave the capital where they live and move to a small coastal village where they've recently bought a home. But from the minute they cross the threshold, strange things begin to happen. In that mysterious house still lurks the spirit of Jacob, the previous owners' son, who died by drowning.


With the help of their new friend Roland, Max and Alicia Carver begin to explore the strange circumstances of that death and discover the existence of a mysterious being called the Prince of Mist--a diabolical character who has returned from the shadows to collect on a debt from the past. Soon the three friends find themselves caught up in an adventure of sunken ships and an enchanted stone garden--an adventure that will change their lives forever. (Publisher's summary from Powell's Books)

Although I found The Prince of Mist mildly scary, it definitely was a suspenseful read. From the moment the Carver family arrived in the small coastal town and their new home, strange things occur. Each new mysterious event serves to propel the story forward, and as the characters learn about the “mysterious being called the Prince of Mist,” an extremely creepy villain, the spook factor certainly rises. 

Zafon’s writing makes this book a true horror story. There is an eerie atmosphere that pervades the setting, and creeps into the consciousness of the reader very much like a mist. This is achieved through the author’s sensory details. Most of his description provides strong visual, auditory, tactile, and even olfactory experiences geared at provoking an emotional or psychological response.

The Prince of Mist is suspenseful with interesting characters that have the ability to hold the story together. The mystery is intriguing enough to maintain the reader's attention through out. While I liked the book, I did not love it. I definitely wanted a bigger scare factor and for me this fell short. 

Review/The Body Finder by Kim Derting

Violet Ambrose is grappling with two major issues: Jay Heaton and her morbid secret ability. While the sixteen-year-old is confused by her new feelings for her best friend since childhood, she is more disturbed by her "power" to sense dead bodies — or at least those that have been murdered. Since she was a little girl, she has felt the echoes the dead leave behind in the world... and the imprints that attach to their killers. Violet has never considered her strange talent to be a gift; it mostly just led her to find dead birds her cat left for her. But now that a serial killer is terrorizing her small town, and the echoes of the local girls he's claimed haunt her daily, Violet realizes she might be the only person who can stop him. Despite his fierce protectiveness over her, Jay reluctantly agrees to help Violet find the murderer — and Violet is unnerved by her hope that Jay's intentions are much more than friendly. But even as she's falling intensely in love, Violet is getting closer and closer to discovering a killer... and becoming his prey herself. (From Goodreads)

Like many bloggers I have been waiting for Kim Derting’s debut novel, The Body Finder since I first caught wind of it in January. I was not disappointed. The Body Finder delivers both an exciting mystery and romance that kept me glued to the pages until the end.

The first element that drew me to Derting’s book was definitely the premise. How can you not be intrigued by a girl who can sense dead bodies? I thought that Derting did a fantastic job providing background about Violet’s ability starting with the first chapter, which immediately pulled me into the story. I have to say though that there is way more to the plot than just Derting innovative premise. Everything worked for me. Her choice of third person limited was right on. I also felt that providing chapters from the mind of the killer added a lot to the overall experience, and I have to admit I missed several of the hints about the killer because I was speeding headlong into the story to stop and reason it all out. It wasn’t until almost the end that I actually began to suspect who the killer was and with a major twist that Derting threw in, I was effectively thrown off course ( a least for a little while) with my suspicions. 

Derting characterization was the other major element that made this book a fantastic read. The budding romance between Violet and Jay was the perfect distraction from the murders, and Derting weaves their romance throughout the story adding yet another type of tension. Violet and Jay have a long history of being best friends. Jay is the only other person besides Violet’s parents who knows about Violet’s power to sense dead things. Now that Jay has become the hottie, Violet is having a difficult time figuring out where her feelings for Jay as her best friend end and her attraction for him as a love interest begins. It is clear from Jay’s actions that he is not having these same problems. He is supportive, protective, and unfaltering in his devotion to Violet.  There were a few times when I  wanted to shake Violet because she just kept ignoring all the clues that Jay had the hots for her and was totally devoted. In the end, Jay does everything right and Violet finally gets it.

The Body Finder is an amazing first novel, and clearly, Derting has a great writing career ahead of her. Unfortunately, her next book Desires of the Dead is not due for release until next year.

Review/ Past World by Ian Beck

What if all of London were really an amusement park—a whole city returned to Victorian times to entertain visitors from the twenty-first century? That's the wildly original premise of Ian Beck's Pastworld, a high-stakes mystery set in a simulated past.


Eve is a lifelong resident of Pastworld who doesn’t know she’s living in a theme park until a mysterious threat forces her to leave home. Caleb is a visiting tourist who finds the lawlessness of the past thrilling—until he suddenly becomes a fugitive from an antiquated justice system. And in the midst of it all, in the thick London fog a dark and deadly figure prowls, claiming victim after victim. He’s the Fantom, a creature both of the past and of the present, in whose dark purpose Caleb and Eve will find their destinies combined. (From GoodReads)

The premise of Pastworld is the reason I picked the book up. I found the whole idea of a Victorian theme park complete with a Jack the Ripper type villain irresistible. Pastworld’s plot is complex, establishing several different conflicts that at first seem random, but are eventually tied together and resolved satisfactorily in the end. However, this randomness could easily confuse younger middle school readers.

Another confusing aspect was Beck’s choices of narration. The book begins with a forward from Chief Inspector Charles Catchpole, Scotland Yard (Pastworld Division), who explains that he is the narrator. However, the chapters alternate between third person narration (Catchpole’s) and Eve’s journal, which is first person and written in italics. This confusion was short lived once I accepted that despite the forward, Catchpole’s narration would maintain the third person POV.  The reason I think Beck chose to handle the POV in this manner was to ensure that Catchpole’s narration read like an official record of the events that transpired.

I also found that Beck’s characters were just character who were playing parts. There was very little that made me connect to any of them. Eve told her story through her journal and while there were times when she expressed emotions, she never felt real. Perhaps that was what Beck was  aiming at because of the revelation that comes at the end, which I will not reveal here. I also didn’t connect with Caleb. He was too flat and never did show growth. The only character I did like was Bible J., who ended up being the hero risking his own life for Eve.


Beck’s setting however, was authentically drawn and created a mood that carried both the story and the characters. The setting not only played a huge role in sustaining the suspense, but the theme park itself was an antagonist, working against the protagonists most of the time. This was by far my favorite facet of the story.

Despite many elements that bothered me about Pastworld, I read with interest and continually tried to piece together the various clues that Beck provided through out the story. However, as stories go I did not find Pastworld a story I would consider a must read.

Review/Secret Society by Tom Dolby

An eccentric new girl. A brooding socialite. The scion of one of New York's wealthiest families. A promising filmmaker. As students at the exclusive Chadwick School, Phoebe, Lauren, Nick, and Patch already live in a world most teenagers only dream about.

They didn't ask to be Society members. But when three of them receive a mysterious text message promising success and fame beyond belief, they say yes to everything--even to the harrowing initiation ceremony in a gritty warehouse downtown and to the ankh-shaped tattoo they're forced to get on the nape of their necks. Once they're part of the Society, things begin falling into place for them. Week after week, their ambitions are fulfilled. It's all perfect--until a body is found in Central Park with no distinguishing marks except for an ankh-shaped tattoo. ( from Powell's Books)

Tom Dolby's Secret Society is a debut novel in teen lit, and while I found the book interesting it did not live up to my expectations. When I picked up the book at the library the title intrigued me. The action revovles around four different characters: Lauren, a self-centered rich girl, who wants to change her image; Nick, a guy who wants to make his mark in the clubbing scene and whose family is old money; Phoebe, a recent transplant from L.A. and a budding artist, and Patch, who lives with his grandmother and dreams of becoming the next Michael Moore.

Lauren, Nick and Phoebe are recruited for Isis, a secret society that after their initiations begins opening door for them. Patch, on the outside is working on a film that will expose the society. The plot's action follows all four of these characters. Unfortunately, it offers little in the way of suspense. There are a few tense moments, a dead body found in the park with the ankh tattoo, some stolen pictures from Phoebe's art show, and the disappearance of Lauren boyfriend. Also Patch's obsession to get footage of the society at any cost. The only real surprise throughout the book was at the very end, other wise the plot dragged along and even became tedious.

I also found all the characters too pat and stereotypical. Their motivations seemed  forced, and their friendships questionable. I did like Patch's character. He seemed the most real of the foursome. He also had the most background, which is probably why the ending was a surprise for me because I felt, based on Patche's background, that it did not ring true.

 If you like mysteries, then you might enjoy this book, but for me it did not deliver the suspense or excitement I enjoy in a well thought out mystery.

Recommend Me Friday

Recommend Me is a weekly event hosted by  Kate at The Neverending Shelf. It's a chance to highlight your favorite reads. It could be a book you just read or one you read years ago

Death Watch by Robb White

Published: 1973

Genre: Adventure, Action, mystery

ISBN: 9780440917403

Age Level 12-17

I read Death Watch by Robb White several years ago and still recommend it to my students because it had such a huge impact on me. While this is not usually a genre I am immediately drawn to I do enjoy suspense novels, which White’s book most definitely is. I have to admit that I found this book impossible to put down and that it left me thinking long after I had read the last paragraph.

White spends very little time on his exposition. Within the first forty pages, he introduces the two main characters, the setting, and the problem, and the problem was so totally unexpected that once revealed I was hooked. Ben, the protagonist is guiding a big city hunter named Madec through the desert. Madec is after bighorn sheep. The problem occurs when Madec shoots at what he believes is a sheep. Unfortunately, the sheep turns out to be an old man. While this, in and of itself was unexpected, the truly surprising event occurs after the two main characters realize the man’s dead. Instead of going back to town and telling the police about the accident, Madec shoots the man again with Ben’s rifle, takes Ben’s clothes, gun, and water then drives away in his jeep. Horrible as this all sounds, it doesn’t stop there. Madec wants to insure Ben’s dies, so Madec using the sight of high powered .358 Magnum Maser,  proceeds to watch Ben to make sure he doesn’t manage to survive. Pretty amazing for the first 40 pages!

I have to admit that this book kept me riveted to the page. White did a terrific job describing the California desert setting, which of course was extremely important to the plot. He also did an awesome job at characterization.  Both Ben and Madec were completely well rounded and dynamic in their opposition of and to each other. Madec was easy to hate as the antagonist.  However, I have to admit that I while I was horrified that a person could be so evil, I also found myself feeling a sense of awe at the man’s intelligence. But it was Ben’s smarts that I really revered. His survival depended on being able to outsmart Madec. While as an ardent reader I naturally assumed that Ben would win, White's ending was as unexpected as his beginning.

So, if you think you might like a fast paced book with lots of surprises and loads of suspense, then I can guarantee Death Watch will not disappoint.

Recommend Me

Recommend Me is a weekly event hosted by  Kate at The Neverending Shelf. It's a chance to highlight your favorite reads. It could be a book you just read or one you read years ago

Boy's Life by Robert McCammon

Published in 1992

Literary Awards: Bram Stoker for Best Novel (1991) and World Fantasy Award for Best Novel (1992)

isbn 0833587994    (isbn13: 9780833587992)

This tale of an 11-year-old's struggle between innocence and evil begins with the discovery of a gruesome murder and ends with the revelation that, even in Zephyr, Alabama, life is not safe and simple--and most things and people are not what they seem to be. "Recaptures the magic of being a child in a world of possibilities and promise. . . ".--Atlanta Journal Constitution.

Information above retrieved from GoodReads

Whenever I am asked the question, "What is your favorite book?" Boy's Life is usually the title I give. While most bookstores shelve it under adult horror, I would consider it more along the lines of realistic fantasy despite the fact that this is an oxymoron. Set in the 60's in Zephyr Alabama, a small rural town on the verge of major change due to development of chain stores, Zephyr is also a town divided by the racial unrest of the times. It tells the story of  Cory, an eleven-year-old boy who finds himself crossing the imaginary line between youthful fantasy, and adulthood. It has several elements  that appealed to me. First, the fantasy is interwoven into a very realistic story, with believable characters and setting. The magic includes a river monster,  a mystical woman who hears the dead and can manipulate the living, a ghost who drives a dragster, and the imaginative adventures of boyhood. Secondly, the story begins with a horrific murder mystery that pervades the tale and climaxes to a surprise ending. This is one of those books that stays with you long after you finish the book and its power pulls you back again and again. If you have never read it, then trust me this is a book you need to add to your must read list! If you have, then perhaps it is time to read it again. I guarantee you will not be disappointed.

 Here are a few links to read more about Boy's Life

Guys Lit Wire

My Years of Serious Reading has a great summary with some fantastic quotes from the book

Skyekid

Trish's Reading Nook