Review: Inside Threat

After taking two football seasons off, Riley Covington is attempting to make a comeback in the league while trying to forget Khadi Faroughi, now on security detail for a prominent senator.
But a new attack turns both of their lives upside down yet again. During a state funeral, terrorists overrun the National Cathedral and take senators, congressmen, and their entourages hostage, including Khadi. This new generation of The Cause is made up of homegrown terrorists—an inside threat to the security of the nation. They release most of the hostages, but Khadi and several others are kept behind as significant bargaining chips.
The Cause pledges to behead one member of Congress each day throughout the month of Ramadan as a punishment for their own country’s rejection of Islam. Despite the protests of Counter-Terrorism Division director Scott Ross, Riley races to CTD armed with a plan and a fierce determination to rescue Khadi at all costs.

This isn't my normal genre, and I don't often read books of this type, but I liked this one pretty well.  This is part of a series (Book four, I believe), and I hadn't read any of the previous books.  I don't think it's necessary to have read them, except for maybe having a better feel of the characters.  I wasn't as emotionally invested in these characters as I might have been had I read the other books.

The cover says "A Riley Covington Thriller", but I wouldn't say he was necessarily the main character.  He was a main character, but there were others who got equal time, which is a good thing because for most of the book I didn't care for Riley.  He seemed hot-headed, a bit self-centered, and just overall not very likable.  Maybe my view on him would have been different if I had more background on him.  Or if I had read the other books and connected with him as a character I would have been more likely to excuse his faults.  That said, he did turn out okay in the end.

We really didn't dig too dip into the minds of any of the characters, and mostly it was the plot that drove the story.  And it was a pretty good plot--fast moving, and it kept me turning pages.  I think this would definitely be a good one for men to read, as well as women who are into thriller-type books.  This was Christian fiction, and there is religion sprinkled throughout, and it may have even gotten a little heavy handed at times, but it wasn't bothersome, to me.  I give this one a B.

This book was provided for me to review by Tyndale publishers, and I was not compensated in any way for the review.  

Married With Zombies

A heartwarming tale of terror in the middle of the zombie apocalypse.
Meet Sarah and David.
Once upon a time they met and fell in love. But now they're on the verge of divorce and going to couples' counseling. On a routine trip to their counselor, they notice a few odd things - the lack of cars on the highway, the missing security guard, and the fact that their counselor, Dr. Kelly, is ripping out her previous client's throat.
Meet the Zombies.
Now, Sarah and David are fighting for survival in the middle of the zombie apocalypse. But, just because there are zombies, doesn't mean your other problems go away. If the zombies don't eat their brains, they might just kill each other.

I hadn't heard of this series at all until I got the third one from Netgalley to review. It's a really fun, brainless (ha!) read. There's something about zombie stories that I really like. I think it's that there's so much potential there. It can be funny, scary, apocalyptic--this particular book happened to be more funny than anything else.

There is a whole lot of swearing, and for that alone I'd say this is definitely an R-rated book. Right from the first couple of pages, we learn that Sarah and David aren't dainty characters, and can not only swear like sailors, they don't mind killing zombies left and right either. But you kind of have to. After all, when the zombies start coming, there's not much else you can do.

David and Sarah argue a lot--they're going through marriage therapy when the story opens, but they're still really likable characters. I don't remember getting annoyed with them at any point, which is usually pretty common in stories like this. There were side characters, but they just weren't around long enough to get to know or care about any of them. Although, even with the side characters, there were some emotional parts, which was good to balance out the funny.

The one thing I didn't really care for was that the author used the same action bit over and over. Just as Sarah was getting ready to shoot a zombie, somebody from behind her (that she didn't know) would throw some type of knife and kill it. There's gotta be another way to introduce new characters than doing the same thing over and over.

If you're looking for a light romp, and don't mind a lot of language and gore, this may be a good book to pick up to pass an afternoon. It's very short, but it left me wanting to pick up the second in the series (which I already have).


Book Details

Title: Married with Zombies (Living with the Dead, Book 1)

Author: Jesse Petersen

Genre: urban fantasy/science fiction

Page Count: 244

Publishing Info: September 2010 by Orbit

Why I Read It: Have 3rd in series for review

Grade: B

Cover Thoughts:

Review: Windhaven

Before we talk about anything, can we take a minute to appreciate the awesomeness of this cover? It's so bad it's good. Okay, now we can move on to the book. Windhaven is about Maris, who lives on a world that has flyers and landbound. Flyers use wings made out of materials from the spaceship that brought their ancestors to the planet. Maris wants nothing more than to be a flyer. Unfortunately for her, wings are passed down only through families, and she wasn't born to a flying family. So she sets about trying to change hundreds of years of tradition, and in doing so changes much more than she ever thought.

I really liked Maris for the most part, but there were times when I thought she was just being really stupid. The nice thing about this story was that there were moral conflicts with no easy answers. There was no clear right and wrong here, and it made for some really good reading. It's nice to read fantasy with no clear good guys and bad guys.

The world wasn't spectacular, despite what the dinosaur looking head on the cover would have you believe. There were sea monsters, but they were mostly only mentioned in passing with no real detail. The setting is a bunch of islands, thus creating the need for flyers to deliver messages from island to island (because the sea monsters made ship travel dangerous).

A Sample of the Writing:

Maris rode the storm ten feet above the sea, taming the winds on wide cloth-of-metal wings. She flew fiercely, recklessly, delighting in the danger and the feel of the spray, not bothered by the cold. The sky was an ominous cobalt blue, the winds were building, and she had wings; that was enough. She could die now, and die happy, flying.

I'm a huge fan of George R.R. Martin, especially the Song of Ice and Fire series. Windhaven is not quite up to par, and I'm not sure if that's because it's an earlier work, was written with a co-writer, or both. It was still a very enjoyable book, and although I've read quite a few reviews from disappointed Martin readers, I think it's worth reading.

Book Details

Title: Windhaven

Author: George R.R. Martin and Lisa Tuttle

Genre: fantasy

Page Count: 324

Publishing Info: first published in 1980

Why I Read It: It has been on my shelf for quite awhile.

Grade: B (pretty good)

Cover Thoughts: I've already mentioned the cover, but go ahead and take another look at it, just for fun.

Review: Kat, Incorrigible

Twelve-year-old Kat Stephenson may be the despair of her social-climbing Step-Mama, but she was born to be a magical Guardian and protector of Society--if she can ever find true acceptance in the secret Order that expelled her own mother. She’s ready to turn the hidebound Order of the Guardians inside-out, whether the older members like it or not. And in a society where magic is the greatest scandal of all, Kat is determined to use all her powers to help her three older siblings--saintly Elissa, practicing-witch Angeline, and hopelessly foolish Charles--find their own true loves, even if she has to turn highwayman, battle wild magic, and confront real ghosts along the way!

Kat was such a fun character, and one that younger teens and tweens are going to adore. She is spunky, curious, and gets into all kinds of trouble, but she's also very caring and mostly just wants to help the people she loves. The side characters were also wonderful, and although at the beginning I was worried that some would be too stereotypical, I was pleasantly surprised to find that wasn't the case.

The story itself was absolutely charming, and reminded me a bit of Pride and Prejudice. The upside was that it is more accessible to younger readers than P&P is. The other bonus, if you like that sort of thing, is that it has magic. Luckily for me, I like anything that adds a bit of fantasy into my books.

I would highly recommend this to younger readers who are looking for a fun, sweet story, and to older readers like me who remain young at heart. This is the first in a series, and I will definitely continue.

Book Details

Title: Kat, Incorrigible

Author: Stephanie Burgis

Genre: Middle grade fantasy

Page Count: 304

Publishing Info: April 5, 2011 by Atheneum

Why I Read It: netgalley review copy

Grade: B (very good)

Cover Thoughts: The cover is as charming as the book. I like it a lot!

Review: Flesh and Fire

Book Details

Title: Flesh and Fire: Book One of The Vineart War

Author: Laura Anne Gilman

Genre: Fantasy

Page Count: 374

Publishing Info: October 13th 2009 by Pocket

My Review

Why I read it: Reading Cove Book Club

The Plot: Fourteen centuries ago, all power was held by the prince-mages, who alone could craft the spell-wines. But the people revolted against harsh rule, and were saved by a demigod called Sin-Washer, who broke the First Vine, shattering the hold of the prince-mages.
In 1378 ASW, princes still rule, but Vinearts now make spellwines, less powerful than in days of old. Jerzy, a young slave, has just begun his studies to become a Vineart when his master uncovers the first stirrings of a plot to finish the work Sin-Washer began, and shatter the remains of the Vine forever. Only his master believes the magnitude and danger of this plot. And only Jerzy has the ability to stop it…before there are no more Vinearts left at all.
The first half (or maybe 3/4ths) of this book was agonizingly slow.  Page after page of pretty much the same thing.  It's very much a set-up book for the rest of the series.

The Characters: Jerzy is the main character, and he's really the only one we get to know.  I felt like we knew every thought and feeling of Jerzy's, but didn't get beyond the surface of any of the other characters.  You'd expect that in a first person novel, but this was third person, and the author could have done better in that aspect.

The Setting: The setting is described in great detail in this book, over and over.  If you read this and can't picture the grapevines and the buildings and such, you're just not trying.  There are plenty of things we could have been given more information about, but the setting wasn't one of them.

A Sample of the Writing:
Jerzy refused to allow those memories to resurface.  That was a life that had happened to someone else, a story told and retold until he knew all the twists and turns but felt little of the emotions the players must have felt.  It was Then.  This, the aches and pains of his backside, the jostle and slosh of the spellwines on his saddle, the creak of the leathers and the clodding noises of the horses' hooves on the packed dirt road, this was the Now.  Now he was no slave, but an apprentice Vineart on a mission of great importance for his master.

Who Should Read This? Those who like descriptive writing.

Final Thoughts: If I hadn't have been reading this as a group read, I would have most likely given up on it.  It was just so slow for most of the book.  The writing wasn't necessarily bad, it was just over-descriptive (I tried to give a sample of the descriptive writing above) and a bit repetitive.  Surprisingly, the last bit of the book made up for it.  It was enough for me to say I actually liked the book.  I feel that this was an overly long set-up, but it was quite the set-up, and done well enough to make me want to read the next book, so I'd consider that it did it's job.  Now, if I read the second book and there's another half a book of set-up, that'll be it for me with this author.  We'll see.

Grade: B

Cover Thoughts: I like the cover, and I think it fits pretty well with the story.

 

Review: The Crown Conspiracy

Book Details

Title: The Crown Conspiracy: The Riyria Revelations

Author: Michael J. Sullivan

Genre: Fantasy

Page Count: 296

Publishing Info: September 1, 2007 by Ridan Publishing

My Review

Why I read it: kept hearing that it was good

The Plot: Royce Melborn, a skilled thief, and his mercenary partner, Hadrian Blackwater make a profitable living carrying out dangerous assignments for conspiring nobles until they become the unwitting scapegoats in a plot to murder the king. Sentenced to death, they have only one way out…and so begins this epic tale of treachery and adventure, sword fighting and magic, myth and legend.  It seems like stories about thieves are really big in fantasy right now.  I've seen them all over the place.  I like the concepts here, though, where they're doing jobs for nobles, and once the story gets going, it's for sure not your typical thief book.

The Characters: I liked the characters, but don't feel we really got to know any of them particularly well.  There were a lot of varied characters, and that kept things interesting.  Of our two main characters, I definitely liked Hadrian better.

The Setting: This is a pretty typical fantasy world, but the author does a good job of setting it up and making it real, although there are times when he goes a little too far and it takes the reader out of the story.

A Sample of the Writing: 
Archibald Ballentyne held the world in his hands, conveniently contained within fifteen stolen letters.  Each parchment was penned with meticulous care in a fine, elegant script.  He could tell the writer believed that the words were profound and that their meaning conveyed a beautiful truth.  Archibald felt the writing was drivel, yet he agreed with the author that they held a value beyond measure.  He took a sip of brandy, closed his eyes, and smiled.

Who Should Read This? Fantasy fans who are looking for a good new series.

Final Thoughts: I like that this book was fairly short, and although it's a series, the book itself was pretty self-contained.  No crazy cliffhangers here, and that's a huge plus for me.  I like reading series, but I also like to not be left hanging, especially when I have no idea when I'll be able to get to the next book.  I really wish my library carried these--to get this one, they had to do inter-library loan with a library in another state.  I guess I'll have to do that for every book.  But the writing was good enough to go through a bit of extra work to read this series, and since I read recently on another blog that the series has been picked up by Orbit, maybe the library will finally decide to get them.

Grade: B

Cover Thoughts: The cover is awfully boring, and if I were browsing a bookstore, this would definitely not catch my eye.  

 

Review: Can You Survive the Zombie Apocalypse?

Book Details

Title: Can You Survive the Zombie Apocalypse?

Author: Max Braillier

Genre: horror

Page Count: 288

Publishing Info: February 8, 2011 by Gallery

My Review

Why I read it: Received review copy

The Plot: Inside these pages lies unspeakable horror. Bloodsplattering, brain-impaling, flesh-devouring horror. You’ve probably read your fair share of zombie stories. But this time it’s different. No longer can you sit idle as a bunch of fools make all the wrong moves. All hell is about to break loose—and YOU have a say in humanity’s survival.  (This book is in the classic "Choose your own adventure" style, which was very fun!)

The Characters: There really are no characters here.  You are the main character, except that you're a young man.  So, if you're a woman like me, it can be a little harder to put yourself in the slot of the main character and play along.

The Setting: I think most of the story takes place in New York, but that doesn't really matter so much.  All you need to know is that there are zombies!

Who Should Read This? Fans of the old Choose Your Own Adventure books, fans of zombie books.

Final Thoughts: I had a lot of fun with this one, but the one thing I realized is that you can't read it for any long periods of time.  Even though you can pick different paths and read a different scenario, after awhile I forgot what had happened in my current path and what was from a different one, and it all just blended together.  Not to mention that you kind of get sick of it after too long.  This is a fun one to pick up here and there when you don't have much time to read.

Grade: B

Cover Thoughts: I like the cover.  It's definitely not boring, although one could argue that there's too much there.

 

Review: The Spirit Eater

Book Details

Title: The Spirit Eater (The Legend of Eli Monpress)

Author: Rachel Aaron

Genre: fantasy

Page Count: 440

Publishing Info: November 30, 2010 by Orbit

My Review

Why I read it: 3rd in series

The Plot: With the pressure on after his success in Gaol, Eli Monpress, professional thief and degenerate, decides it's time to lie low for a bit. Taking up residence in a tiny seaside village, Eli and his companions seize the chance for some fun and relaxation.
Nico, however, is finding it a bit hard. Plagued by a demon's voice in her head and feeling powerless, she only sees herself as a burden. Everyone's holiday comes to an untimely close, though, when Pele arrives to beg Eli's help for finding her missing father.
But there are larger plans afoot than even Eli can see, and the real danger, and the solution, may lie with one of his own and her forgotten past.

The Characters: The third book in The Legend of Eli Monpress seemed to be less about Eli as a main character and more of an ensemble book, which is good because I think focusing solely on Eli for too long could get old.  We are also introduced to some new good characters in this one.  My problem is that Miranda really annoys me, and she's one of the main characters.  I liked her better in book two, but it seems like here she has reverted to her previous annoying behavior. 

The Setting: I like the settings in these books.  The first book was very limited in the setting--it took place in a very small area, but as the series progresses we are learning more and more about the world, and I'm very interested.

A Sample of the Writing: 
The great hall of the Shapers had been flung open to let in the wounded.  Shaper wizards, their hands still covered in soot from their work, ran out into the blowing snow to help the men who came stumbling onto the frosted terrace through a white-lined hole in the air.  Some fell and did not rise again, their long, black coats torn beyond recognition.  These the Shapers rolled onto stretchers that, after a sharp order, stood on their own and scrambled off on spindly wooden legs, some toward the waiting doctors, others more slowly toward the cold rooms, their unlucky burdens already silent and stiff.

Who Should Read This? This series is best suited for fans of adventure fantasy.

Final Thoughts: I didn't love this one as well as the rest of the series.  It was still good, but I feel like some parts of the plot keep getting recycled, especially the parts with Josef, who is a great character, but the story seems a little one-note when it comes to him.  I will definitely continue on with the series, and it's becoming one of my favorite fantasy series.   

Grade: B

Cover Thoughts: I think it's pretty clear that the publishers are going for uniformity with these covers, which doesn't really make them as good as they could be, but if you like your series covers to match, I guess it's a good thing.

 

Review: The Mage in Black

Book Details

Title: The Mage in Black (Sabina Kane)

Author: Jaye Wells

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Page Count: 326

Publishing Info: April 1, 2010 by Orbit

My Review

Why I read it: 2nd in a series, have the 3rd on my e-reader for review.

The Plot: Sabina Kane doesn't have the best track record when it comes to family. After all, her own grandmother, leader of the vampire race, wants her dead. So when she arrives in New York to meet her mage relatives, the reunion puts the fun in dysfunctional. Not only is mage culture completely bizarre, but everyone seems to think she's some kind of 'Chosen' who'll unite the dark races. Sabina doesn't care who chose her, she's not into destiny. But the mages aren't Sabina's only problem. In New York's Black Light District, she has run-ins with fighting demons, hostile werewolves and an opportunistic old flame. Sabina thought she'd take a bite out of the Big Apple - but it looks like it wants to bite back.

The Characters: I liked Sabina a lot better here than in the first book.  She has calmed down a bit, and is not quite so violent at every turn.  The love interest(s) here were not really at the forefront, which is nice. 

The Setting: This book took place in New York, but could really have taken place in almost any large city, so the setting wasn't extremely important. 

A Sample of the Writing:
The Kum-N-Go's roadside-chic interior was bathed in a sickly fluorescent glow.  The aroma of stale smoke, urinal cakes, and rotgut coffee had me breathing through my mouth on the way back to the ATM.  It was my turn to pay for gas, so getting cash took priority over raiding the snack aisle for the moment.

Who Should Read This? Obviously I would suggest starting with the first in the series, Red-Headed Stepchild (Sabina Kane), and would recommend this series to fans of urban fantasy.  It's pretty straight-forward, typical urban fantasy, but it's entertaining enough.

Final Thoughts: I remember after reading the first book that I really didn't like the main character, and thought there were a lot of copycat elements in the story.  But I was willing to read the next in the series, because I thought the author had potential.  Well, I did and she does.  This one was better than the first, although nothing exceptional; it was pretty standard stuff.  I'll keep reading the series.

Grade: B

Cover Thoughts: The cover leaves a lot to be desired, if you ask me.  It's rather boring and generic.

Review: To Kill a Warlock

Book Details

Title: To Kill A Warlock: Dulcie O'Neil Series 
Author: H.P. Mallory
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Page Count: 208
Publishing Info: Createspace, August 25, 2010

My Review 
Why I read it: was asked by the author to read and review it 
The Plot: The murder of a dark arts warlock. A shape-shifting, ravenous creature on the loose. A devilishly handsome stranger sent to investigate. Sometimes working law enforcement for the Netherworld is a real bitch. Dulcie O'Neil is a fairy. And not the type to frolic in gardens. She's a Regulator-a law-enforcement agent who monitors the creatures of the Netherworld to keep them from wreaking havoc in the mortal world. When a warlock is murdered and Dulcie was the last person to see him alive, she must uncover the truth before she's either deported back to the Netherworld, or she becomes the next victim. Enter Knight Vander, a sinfully attractive investigator sent from the Netherworld to work the case with Dulcie. Between battling her attraction to her self-appointed partner, keeping a sadomasochistic demon in check, and fending off the advances of a sexy and powerful vampire, Dulcie's got her hands full. As the body count increases, Dulcie finds herself battling dark magic, reconnoitering in S&M clubs and suffering the greatest of all betrayals. 
The Characters: Dulcie was a fun character.  Probably the most interesting thing about her is her creative swearing.  Okay, there are plenty of other interesting things.  She's a fairy.  She doesn't have wings, but she does use fairy dust to create pretty much whatever she wants.  The secondary characters are interesting, and you could definitely feel the chemistry between her and Knight. 
The Setting: The setting is nothing special.  There are some interesting places Dulcie visits, for sure, but I can't even remember the town it was set in.  What is interesting is the Netherworld, and that it's like another dimension.  I would like to read some story set there, like maybe Dulcie visits the Netherworld. 
Who Should Read This? Fans of light, fun urban fantasy--those who don't like their stories to take themselves too seriously.
Final Thoughts: This was really a fun, quick read, and I'm glad the author introduced herself and her books to me.  I will definitely read more by this author.  I'd like to continue on with the Dulcie O'Neal series, and I've got another one by her waiting on my e-reader. 
Grade: B
Cover Thoughts: I think the cover is really cute--I like it.  It's different from a lot of other urban fantasy covers, in that there are no half naked women (or men) on the front.

Review: The Fallen Blade

Book Details

Title: The Fallen Blade: Act One of the Assassini (The Vampire Assassin Trilogy)
Author: Jon Courtenay Grimwood
Genre: fantasy
Page Count: 432
Publishing Info: Orbit, January 27, 2011

My Review
Why I read it: netgalley review copy
The Plot: I'm not quite sure how to describe the plot, it's quite complex, and I don't think I could do it justice, so I will give you the synopsis from the author's website: 
Venice 1407
The city is at the height of its powers. In theory, Duke Marco commands, but Marco is a simpleton so his aunt and uncle rule in his stead. They seem all powerful, yet live in fear of assassins better than their own.
On the night their world changes, Marco's young cousin prays in the family chapel for deliverance from a forced marriage. It is her misfortune to be alone when Mamluk pirates break in to abduct her – an act that will ultimately trigger war.
Elsewhere Atilo, the Duke's chief assassin, cuts a man's throat. Hearing a noise, he turns back to find a boy drinking from the victim's wound. The speed with which the angel-faced boy dodges his dagger and scales a wall stuns Atilo. He knows then he must hunt him. Not to kill him, but because he’s finally found what he thought was impossible – someone fit to be his apprentice. 
The Characters: There were a few main characters here, and although I think the book is supposed to be mostly about Tycho (the previously mentioned angel-faced boy), there were a few other characters that took center stage as well.  And I didn't really love any of them.  Don't get me wrong, the characters are all interesting, but I feel like they kind of took a backseat role to the setting.
The Setting: If the characters didn't feel completely fleshed out, it's because the author spent his time fleshing out the setting instead.  In every chapter, it seems there are detailed descriptions of Venice--the smells, the sights, the sounds, the history.  The main character in the story really is the setting. 
Who Should Read This? Fans of gritty, darker fantasy.  It's definitely not for the faint of heart, or those who like lighthearted fantasy.
Final Thoughts: The Fallen Blade started out with a bang, and I was really excited about reading it.  But somewhere in the middle I felt like it faltered a bit, to the point where I wasn't even sure what the story was supposed to be about.  But then it seemed to pick up at the end in a huge battle scene.  All in all I really liked this one, and will definitely continue on with the series, but feel like it had more potential than what is seen in the book.
Grade: B
Cover Thoughts: The cover is very well designed, from the picture to the font used for the title and author, and I think goes well with the feel of the story.

Review: Flight of Shadows

Book Details

Title: Flight of Shadows: A Novel
Author: Sigmund Brouwer
Genre: Science Fiction
Page Count: 305
Publishing Info: Waterbrook Press, May 18, 2010

My Review
Why I read it: received review copy from Waterbrook Multnomah publisher
The Plot: In a futuristic dystopian society, Caitlyn wants to remain unnoticed.  Because of genetic experimentation, she has a deformity on her back.  But she's being hunted.  Not only by a sadistic bounty hunter, but by a government agency.  With the help of a mysterious guy named Razor, she escapes capture, but not for long.  This book is a sequel to Broken Angel, but I didn't read that, and although at times I wondered if there was a previous book (I looked it up later), I didn't feel lost or like I was missing anything. 
The Characters: Caitlyn is a very strong character, but because she is so withdrawn and slow to trust anyone, it's hard to really get to know and love her.  I was very curious about the secondary characters, especially Razor.  I wanted to know exactly what had happened to him in the past, and what he was going to do next.
The Setting: A horrible dystopic United States that I hope never comes to pass.  I don't think anything like that will, especially in my lifetime, but it didn't sound like a good place to live.
Who Should Read This? Anyone looking for a fast-paced, interesting science fiction novel set in the future.  It was published by a Christian publisher, but the religion is very minimal.
Final Thoughts: I really liked this book.  The chapters were really short, and moved from character to character, which really helped to move the story along and make sure it never got stagnant.  I was worried when I first started reading that it was going to be a little heavy on the science, especially when there was one sentence with three words I didn't know, but it wasn't bad at all (I am so not a science person).  I'll definitely read more by this author.
Grade: B
Cover Thoughts: I like the cover, but I wish the writing was a little less prominent.  It's hard to notice anything else.

The Genius Files: Mission Unstoppable Review

Book Details

Title: The Genius Files: Mission Unstoppable
Author: Dan Gutman
Genre: Middle Grade Adventure
Page Count: 256
Publishing Info: Harper Collins, Jan. 25, 2011

My Review
Why I read it: received e-copy from Netgalley for review
The Plot: Two twins named Coke and Pepsi find that they are targets of assassins.  As the plot unfolds, they find out that they are part of a secret group called The Genius Files.  All of this happens as they finish up the school year and head on a cross country trip in an RV with their parents.  Obviously the whole plot was fairly unbelievable, but the target audience should find it fun.
The Characters: Besides having quite possibly the most ridiculous names I've ever seen for characters, Coke and Pepsi are your regular almost teenagers (they turn 13 during the story).  Except that they are both exceptionally smart.  It comes off somewhat in the story, but they're not annoyingly smart, if that makes sense.  Kids should be able to relate to these characters, mostly.
The Setting: This was the fun part of the story.  The family sets off on a cross country trip, leaving from San Francisco and ending up in Washington D.C. (although they don't make it all the way in this book).  Throughout the book the author interjects cities you can plug into google maps to follow along with them on their trip.  There are also pictures throughout of the places they visited.  And if that's not enough, since both Coke and his mom are lovers of useless facts, we learn a lot of things about different spots in the U.S.
Who Should Read This? This is a great book for the middle grade audience.  Parents who like to read to their younger children might like this one as well, just for its silliness and fun.
Final Thoughts: I'll be honest here.  If I was judging this book purely on it's entertainment level for me, I wouldn't rate it very high.  It was very silly and very young, especially the humor.  That being said, this book wasn't written for my age group.  It was written for kids, and I think they'll really like it.  So while it may not go on any favorite lists of mine, it's great for what it was meant to be: a fun adventure tale for middle grade readers.
Grade: B
Cover Thoughts: The cover has a cute, cartoonish look that will definitely appeal to kids.

 

Thunder and Ashes Review

Book Details

Title: Thunder and Ashes
Author: Z.A. Recht
Genre: Apocalyptic Fiction
Page Count: 304
Publishing Info: Permuted Press, November 2010

My Review
Why I read it: Received review copy from Gallery Pocket Books 
The Plot: This is the second book in the Morningstar Strain trilogy.  I haven't read the first one, but I didn't feel lost at all.  This book follows a couple different groups of people as they're making their way to a research facility to hopefully find a vaccine for the zombie virus that is taking over the world.  The story is very fast-paced with tons of action and fighting scenes.  It seems like the author knew his stuff when it comes to guns and military lingo. 
The Characters: There were a whole lot of characters here, and I would say the plot/action drove the story a lot more than the characters, so there wasn't very much character development.  I did like Krueger, the sharpshooter of the group.  There weren't really any unlikable characters (except for the bad guys, which is obvious), but that could also be because of lack of character development.
The Setting: This was a pretty good dystopian type world, and I definitely felt the bleakness of it.  It's not someplace I'd like to visit, that's for sure.  If zombies ever do come, I'd almost rather be one of the first to go. 
Recommended for: I think fans of zombies would definitely go for this one.  I also kept thinking this would be one I might even be able to get my non-reader husband to read.  I think it will definitely appeal to male readers, and those who like their stories action oriented.
Final Thoughts: I'm glad I read this, and I was very sad to discover that the author has died.  I'm planning to go back and read the first book, and I read that there is a ghost writer working with what notes were left for the third book, so we'll see how that works out.  I really enjoyed this one, and was very pleasantly surprised.
Grade: B
Cover Thoughts: My cover was the one on the right, and while they're very similar, I like the look of the one on the left better.  They go well with the story, and are suitably scary.