Pray for Silence by Linda Castillo

After I finally read Castillo's first Amish thriller, Sworn to Silence, just a little while ago, I have been waiting for this sequel. Officer Kate Burkholder and her fellow policemen have a new, more heinous case to investigate this time around - the mass murder of an entire Amish family. Being a former Amish girl herself, Kate feels particularly close to this one, as does her love interest, Tomasetti. Together they use all the gruesome clues to try to put together a profile of the killer, and just when you think the case is closed and the killer is taken care of permanently, new clues surface to pull us back in.

Pray for Silence is a very entertaining crime thriller. The wonderful pace and details in addition to strong characters like Kate and Tomasetti make this a wonderful choice for mystery, forensic, and thriller readers alike. Some of the details may be a bit graphic and gruesome for some, but those who don't mind a little blood and love shows like CSI and SVU will love this book, which moves along at a fast, TV-show like pace. Give Castillo a try, and you might be praying for the next sequel!

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer

Click here to view an Eclipse Trailer

Yes, I am one of those geeky, middle-aged moms who love Twilight. I admit it. There you go. So, I couldn't wait for this new novella by Meyer.

This little bite of a book takes the character of Bree Tanner, who has a brief part in the end of Eclipse, the 3rd book in the Twilight saga. In expanding this character, we get an intersting look into the creation and vampire "life" of a newborn, or newly created, vampire. Bree is created by Victoria, Edward Cullen's female nemesis, as part of an army specifically formed for the Cullens' destruction. Victoria wishes to kill Edward as revenge for Edward's killing of her mate, James, in the first Twilight book. We get to witness the uncontrollable thirst that Bree and her cohorts experience, but we also see another of Meyer's society portraits, and this is where she really shines as a writer. This small society of newborn vampires is again, an interesting parallel of the real world and its history. Victoria is kind of a Hitler figure, creating soldiers through prejudice and fear, paralyzing the newborns so much that they feel they have no choice but to do her bidding, even though they don't even remember her. The "soldiers" really don't care about the people or other vampires that they must kill, they only care about saving themselves and quenching their thirst. Bree, of course, is a bit different, as Carlisle Cullen senses in the end. He offers to show her the value of a "vegetarian" lifestyle and to take her under the family's wing in order to save her and the others she might harm. Will the Volturi, or vampire police squad, go for this little humanitarian plan? You'll just have to read Eclipse or Bree Tanner to find out! And don't forget to catch the new Eclipse movie, in theaters next Wednesday, June 30th. I'll be there!

False Mermaid by Erin Hart

From the time I read the review of this new mystery(with such a catchy title) by Erin Hart, I've wanted to read it, and it did not disappoint. It begins with the main character,Nora Gavin, who recently moved back to Minnesota from Ireland, where she "escaped" for three year after the brutal murder of her sister. She worked on solving her sister's bizarre case endlessly, with the help of a local detective, Frank Cordoba, but they were unable to find enough evidence to convict the sister's husband who they are sure did the crime.

Returning to Minnesota, Nora and Frank are able to uncover some interesting evidence in the form of blood-stained clothing and some seeds from a rare plant called "false mermaid". But they struggle with time as the killer plans to leave the country. The other really interesting facet of the book is the incorporation of the Irish "selkie" legends. These stories involve a seal who comes to land and removes her skin in order to be human for a bit.The catch is that if the seal skin is stolen by a man, the seal-being then must do whatever the human says, which usually means becoming his wife. Only if the seal skin is returned can she return to the sea, which she will do at any cost. You may think this is just a bizarre story and what does it have to do with murder, but it's so interesting because the author interweaves this supernatural element into the characters and it becomes sort of an eerie parallel between the murderer and the victim. I love it when a supernatural element can be interwoven  so faltlessly that it becomes believable; it makes the story just that much more magical and entertaining to me.

So if you enjoy legends and a bit of the mystical mixed in with a good old-fashioned mystery filled with angst and a love story, you'll love Erin Hart's new novel. After you check it out, don't forget to tell me what you think!

Darkest Fear by Harlan Coban

I first got hooked on Coban's feisty main character, Myron Bolitar, when a patron at the library checked in one of his audio books and said, "Have you ever listened to one of these? They are hilarious! I almost drive off the road from laughing so hard!" At that time, I had only listened to one or two audiobooks before, and I still would have chosen to read instead of listen. But this amazing recommendation had me intrigued, so I listened to one of these Myron Bolitars in my car, and I was hooked.

Myron Bolitar is a retired/past injured pro basketball player who since has started a sports agency, representing clients from many different sports. He employs quite a menagerie of misfits, from Esperanza the former pro wrestler and her beefy friend Big Cindy, to his security and financial advisor, Win, who is not only shallow, smooth, and filthy rich, but deadly lethal with both weapons and his bare hands. These characters all come together to work for and support Myron, who is really just a fast-joking, smart, big kid who is trying to make the best of his life and relationships while always running himself into trouble. Yes, trouble always finds Myron, and he just has to investigate.

Darkest Fear, while not my favorite Bolitar novel, was probably the funniest. I couldn't read a page without cracking up at Myron and Win's constant bantering. The mystery in this one was quite complicated, and I thought the end was a bit rushed, trying to tie up too many clues at once. But overall, it was an extremely entertaining read.

Try some Myron Bolitar novels and see what you think! Then post, post, post!

Sworn to Silence by Linda Castillo

Sworn to Silence is just the kind of book I love in the summer: it's fast and furious, has interesting characters, and the details and plot are so intense, you just can't put it down. This wonderful thriller by Castillo has been requested endlessly at the library, so I thought I'd give it a try, and it did not disappoint. It's about a former  Amish girl who was a victim of a crime during a scary murder spree by a serial killer who was never caught. The really interesting facet is that the girl later leaves the Amish community to become a cop and returns to defend her hometown, deep in Amish country. So, the author incorporates some great Amish flavor with a great mystery, mixed with some gory details and a little love, creating a great novel perfect for when you just want to sit and read and not put it down. Give it a try and tell me what you think!

Blackbird Hill by Alice Hoffman

As I've said before, Alice Hoffman is one of my favorite authors for many reasons. Her style and language are so deftly crafted, smooth, and lyrical that the reader simply gets lost in the story and characters. Her characters are so vivid, and you are able to love and care about them from the very first meeting. The Cape Cod setting is also close to my heart, as my husband and I started our life together on the east coast and spent a couple days on the Cape before moving back to the Midwest. It's a beautiful place full of history.

Blackbird Hill is both the title and the significant place in the novel which ties all the individual chapters together. The book first started a short story published by The Boston Globe. Hoffman then took that story and created more stories that all happen along a timeline from the early 1800's to the present, all with different characters who live in the house on Blackbird Hill. The house and the landscape tie the people's histories together flawlessly, and while each chapter could possibly stand alone as a wonderful short story, together they make a beautiful tapestry of a novel that will stick with you. From the original owners of the house on the Cape whose lives end in tragedy, to the present day girl who survives her personal obstacles and settles into herself and her life, they all have something to share about love and the ability of the human spirit to overcome and change our lives to fit us.

I picked this one up at our annual Friends of the Elgin Library book sale, but I'm going to put it into the collection. So, come check it out this summer and get lost at the Cape as I did.

Island Beneath the Sea by Isabel Allende

Island Beneath the Sea is the story of Zarite, a slave girl on the island that is now Haiti. The book traces her life from girlhood when she is sold to a plantation owner named Toulouse Valmorain. Because her master wishes her to be more refined in order to care for his delicate wife, Zarite, or Tete, as she is called, goes to "train" with a famous concubine named Violette, and although they don't realize it until much later, their lives are irrevocably changed and intertwined because of their meeting.

This beautifully written saga takes us through Zarite's life as a slave in Valmorain's house over years of island unrest and revolution both abroad in France and on the island itself.  Zarite again and again must put aside her own humanity and dignity in order to survive and realize her dream of becoming a free woman. It's th powerful story of women who are abused by a system they have absolutely no power over, but who nonetheless persevere and work that system as well as they can to get what they want.

I loved this books for its writing, it's wonderful sense of place and history, and for the wonderful characters who struggle for the things we still struggle for today - peace, equality, freedom of body and spirit, and an end to discrimination of all kinds. Check it out today, and you'll be glad you did.

White Horses by Alice Hoffman

Alice Hoffman is one of my favorite writers for her beautiful use of language and haunting storylines of tragedy, love, and spirit. While the subject matter is not for the faint of heart and is quite disturbing in parts, White Horses is a wonderful novel that reveals the terrible fight for love that abused children go through their entire lives. It is the story of Teresa, a young girl who hates her do-nothing father, is mystified by her angry mother, and who, most of all, worships her handsome, hoodlum brother. It is this last relationship that is her undoing. Her brother Silver is like a hero to Teresa and her mother, much like the "Arias" who ride on white horses, have a supernatural mystique, and who are in all of Teresa's bedtime stories and in her dreams. She knows that Silver will never leave her, as her father does, and that he will defend her, as her mother has not. But her undying love of Silver, and his twisted sense of manhood and selfishness lead them both into a desperate love/hate chase that leaves them both isolated from the world and ultimately from each other.

The language of this tragic book carries you along like an ocean breeze, and I couldn't stop reading, hoping Teresa would finally find herself and tear away from all the self-destructive behavior she clings to. And while the ending was satisfying, it still left me wanting to hear more; wanting Teresa to finally be empowered after being put down for so long. I won't give away the ending for you, though. Read it, and let me know your opinion.

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan

I grabbed this little gem off the young adult shelf before I could even get to my blog, but I wanted to tell you about it now that I'm done. It's about a time when the world has pretty much ended because of the influx of creatures called "The Unconsecrated" which are essentially zombies. Yes, I said it. Zombies. But it's not as crazy or stupid as that sounds. Just as Stephenie Meyer has made vampires totally believable to the masses, Ryan has done a great job with these gross and hateful zombies. She describes them more as creatures that are created sort of like vampires but who instead of being immortal and totally invincible, their power simply lies in their numbers and the fact that they are "damned" or already dead. They hunger for humans, and to keep them out, the few humans left on the planet have put up an elaborate system of fences and paths. The village where Mary, the main character, lives relies on a strict social system and many rules to keep everyone safe. But when a "breach" happens and the unconsecrated get inside the fence, it's everyone for themselves. Mary manages to escape with the two men who love her, her brother, and her best friend, but is unhappy because she "knows" that there is something else out there - the ocean and more humans. It is her driving quest to find them and this dream drives a wedge between her and the others.

This was a quick read, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I truly cared about the characters, and the ending was very excitig. The various social aspects of the village and the symbolism of the unconsecrated would also be lively topics of debate, just as the Twilight characters are.

So, if you want a good story, a quick read, and a little romance thrown in with the zombies, this is the book for you. Enjoy!

Heresy by Parrish

This historical thriller is set in 1583 Oxford, England. It's the story of a fallen monk called Bruno who wants others to try to embrace new scientific knowledge without it necessarily damaging their faith in God. He goes to Oxford to debate the fact that the earth revolves around the sun, but he ends up walking into a murder ring made to look like the ancient Christian martyrdoms. The rector at the college asks him to step in and investigate, which puts him up for ridicule from the higher-ups as well as putting him in danger from the stealthy killer. The blame is passed around from likely person to likely person, until Bruno is led to the truth, and almost to his untimely death.

This book was beautifully written and full of intrigue, but it did drag a bit for me in the middle. It picked up again at the suspenseful end, and I found it well worth the read. Let me know what you think!