The Girl who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson

Remember when I said I hoped that the beginning of this book moved a bit faster than the first one? Well, this second book in the Stieg Larsson trilogy started off at breakneck pace and never stopped. There are few books for me that are "can't put them down" quality, but this one was it.

Now that journalist Blomkvist is happily basking in the afterglow of taking down financial gangster Wennerstrom, and Salander has successfully gotten her feminist revenge by stealing all Wennerstrom's money by hacking his accounts, life can go on blissfully, right? But Salander feels let down when she sees Blomkvist with long-time, part-time lover Erika Berger and flees the country with her millions in order to forget him and find a new life. Then Mother Nature intervenes, and Salander is blown home to Sweden from her island hide-away by a hurricane. When she returns, she fnds Blomkvist and his Millenium cronies knee-deep in a sex ring scandal that she has a mysterious connection to. When the two reporters who have uncovered the scandal are murdered along with Salander's greasy "guardian," Salander is the accused and has to use her hacking and hiding skills to keep from being arrested. The police have a bunch of physical evidence against her, and her shaky record portrays her as a psycho with questionable morals. Did she do it? Will her true friends Armansky and Blomkvist fight for her or turn her in? You'll have to read to find out.

When you start this one, make sure you have some large blocks of time on your hands, because you won't be able to quit. So, pull up a lawn chair in the shade, grab a cool drink and your sunglasses, and enjoy this great thriller of the summer!

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

This is the first book in a trilogy by Swedish author Larsson, who died in 2004, before the books were even published. They've created a huge sensation in the media, so I thought I'd see what all the fuss is about. You can read about the author at http://www.stieglarsson.com/

When I started the book, things were very hectic around here, and I really didn't have much time to get into it.  I got a little bogged down in the financial espionage details in the beginning, but once I got to the midway mark, I was totally engrossed.

The main character is Mikael Blomkvist, a publisher and journalist who has recently been found guilty of libel after exposing a huge financial "gangster." While Blomkvist knows his story is true and documented, he doesn't fight the court's decision and wishes to step down from the magazine he publishes called Millenium. As he licks his wounds and prepares mentally for his jail time, he is presented with an interesting offer from Henrik Vanger, an elderly CEO of a huge company who also knows all about the gangster Blomkvist tried to bring down. He offers Blomkvist a deal: he'll get him some more evidence against the financier, if Blomkvist will write his biography and solve the "murder" of his niece who disappeared without a trace many years before. With some trepidation, Blomkvist agrees to the deal and begins digging up dirt on all the Vangers.  During his investigation, it becomes apparent that he needs help, which comes in the form of an odd, social outcast Lisbeth Salander, the girl with the dragon tattoo. Salander is a computer hacker extraordinaire, and her "skills" become invaluable to Blomkvist. Besides all this detailed mystery solving, the author lets us into the fascinating personal lives of the Vangers, Blomkvist, and most interestingly, Salander. The characters are always what drive a story for me as a reader, and Larsson's are fascinating indeed. How did Vanger's niece simply disappear one day without a trace? What are the Vanger's hiding and why? Why is Salander so strange and untouchable, and will Blomkvist be able to crack the case and Salander's facade at the same time?

These questions are for you (and me as I continue with the series)to read and find out. Summer is a great time for thrillers, so pick one up and let me know what you think!!!

Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer

I rarely reread a book. I find it a royal waste of time because I always think, if a book is good, I'll remember it anyway, and there's no need. There are so many other good books to read. Right? Well, I know for a fact that I'm not alone in rereading the Twilight saga. I've talked to people, teens and adults alike, who have read them all three, maybe four or five times. And while I don't think I'll do that, I completely enjoyed Eclipse for the second time right before we saw the movie on opening day, as I could look at all those beautiful details to see if they did them "right" in the movie.

For those of you who are Twilight newbies, this story begins by reestablishing the unusual and enduring love between Edward, a vampire, and Bella, a more than ordinary high school girl. Graduation approaches for them both (of course Edward "matriculates a lot" as he puts it). Bella fights with Edward about becoming a vampire, something she wants so that she can be with Edward forever and not age. What interrupts their innocent plans is a strange killing spree in nearby Seattle, which we come to find is being caused by an army of "newborn" or newly changed vampires. After much speculation by Edward's vampire family,the Cullens, it becomes evident that Bella is their target. Her protection and affection for werewolf friend, Jacob Black, becomes a prominent part of the story now, as Bella must struggle, as all teens do, with her needs, wants, and feelings for both of these guys. They both love her in their own way, as she also loves them. Will the army get close to Bella? Which "monster" will she choose to spend her life with? You'll have to read to find out.

There is so much beautiful detail and raw emotion in Eclipse that it truly is hard to put down. I also love all the social groups that can be analyzed and compared to the real world. The animal eating, compassionate, and loyal Cullens are mesmerizing, and you end up feeling like a part of them, knowing all of their back stories and powers by the end. The werewolves and their "pack society" are also fascinating because of their leadership principles and the fact that they read each others thoughts. But the one thing that pulls me the most about these books, is that as wild, crazy, magical, and fictional as all these characters are, all of their lives, their powers, and everything about them and their world seems explainable and therefore "real" when you are reading it. You'll be wondering about some little detail about them as you read, and then before long, Meyer explains it all to you as if it's just a part of history, some perfectly logical detail that we just didn't know before that part of the plot when it was necessary for us to know. Amazing.

So, if you have been living in the bat cave and haven't read these books yet, start with Twilight and get going. You won't regret it. As for the movie, I loved it too. The "tent" scene was good, although perhaps too short, and the "compromise scene" was sexy without being too overt for the younger audience members. I'm sure you can still go see it in theaters now (with all the fans who are now going for the 5th and 6th times!)

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.