Genre Reviews

My Hands Came Away Red by Lisa McKay

noreply@blogger.com (Genre Reviewer) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 11:27:00 +0000

My Hands Came Away Red
by Lisa McKay

ISBN-13: 9780802489821
Trade Paperback: 391 pages
Publisher: Moody Publishers
Released: Sept. 2007

Source: Bought through Half.com.

Book Description from Goodreads:
Cori signs up for a mission trip to Indonesia during the summer after her senior year of high school. Inspired by happy visions of building churches and seeing beautiful beaches, she gladly escapes her complicated love life back home.

Six weeks into the trip, a conflict that has been simmering for years flames to deadly life on the nearby island of Ambon. Before they can leave, Cori and her teammates find themselves caught up in the destructive wave of violence washing over the Christian and Muslim villages in the area. Within days the church they helped build is a smoldering pile of ashes, its pastor and many of the villagers are dead, and the six teenagers are forced to flee into the hazardous refuge of the jungle with only the pastor's son to guide them.

My Review:
My Hands Came Away Red is a very well-written Christian suspense/general fiction novel. The details were so vivid and rich that I was immersed in the story, and I'm still half-convinced these events really did happen. The characters were vividly real, complex, and acted in very realistic (and varied) ways to the situations they faced.

The high level of suspense was mainly from the physical danger they were in but also from relationship tensions. The main characters were Christian teens, and their faith and understanding was typical of teens (and many adults). They struggled realistically with their view of God after seeing the horrors and experiencing the hardship they faced.

There was no sex. There was a minor amount of "he cussed" style bad language and one instance of fake bad language. The story was not gory. I'd highly recommend this novel. I had hoped the author had written more novels that I could buy and read, but--to my sorrow--so far she hasn't.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

The Jerk Magnet by Melody Carlson

noreply@blogger.com (Genre Reviewer) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 22:52:00 +0000

The Jerk Magnet
by Melody Carlson

ISBN-13: 9780800719623
Trade Paperback: 217 pages
Publisher: Revell
Released: January 1, 2012

Source: Review copy from the publisher.

Book Description from Back Cover:
When Chelsea Martin's future stepmother helps her transform from gawky and geeky into the hottest girl at her new school, Chelsea is pretty sure it's the best thing that ever happened to her. But her hot new look has a downside. She's attracting lots of guys who all have one thing in common: they're jerks. And stealing the attention of all the guys in school doesn't endear her to the girls either.

Chelsea finally finds a true friend in Janelle Parker, and a non-jerk, Nicholas, catches her eye. Janelle keeps telling her to be herself, but Nicholas is the only guy around who doesn't give her a second look. Can Chelsea and Janelle come up with a plan to get his attention? Or will Chelsea's new image ruin everything?

My Review:
The Jerk Magnet is a young adult Christian general fiction novel. Chelsea was complex and Janelle was engaging, but we only got to know a few characters very well. To me, it seemed like the story moved too fast to really make the desired impact.

Perhaps because the story was so short, the focus was almost solely on how boys (and girls) were reacting to Chelsea's appearance. The story didn't really talk about the other struggles of going to a new school or deal with the changes that having a step-mother would bring. So instead of being a story where a girl going through a lot of changes happens to attract jerks and decides that the new way she dresses and acts has something to do with it, it seemed like a story designed to teach girls that dressing and acting in a certain way will attract the wrong sort of guys. The story was still fun, though, and I liked how Chelsea became comfortable with who she was by the end.

There wasn't much of a Christian element beyond the prerequisite "comes to Christ" scene (which we're told about more than are shown) and the lesson at camp that God cares more about the inside of a person than their appearances, so Christians should care more about that, too. There was no sex and no bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this book to Christian teens since it does explore an issue they struggle with and it was an enjoyable story.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Murder on the Links by Agatha Christie

noreply@blogger.com (Genre Reviewer) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 11:34:00 +0000

Murder on the Links
by Agatha Christie

ISBN-13: 9780553350371
Hardcover: 224 pages
Publisher: Bantam Books
Released: 1923, 1985

Source: Borrowed from my local library.

Book Description from Amazon:
An urgent cry for help brings Hercule Poirot to France. But he arrives too late to save his client, whose brutally stabbed body now lies facedown in a shallow grave on a golf course.

But why is the dead man wearing an overcoat that is too big for him? And for whom was the impassioned love letter in the pocket? Before Poirot can answer these questions, the case is turned upside down by the discovery of a second, identically murdered corpse.…

My Review:
Murder on the Links is a historical mystery featuring Hercule Poirot. Though written as a contemporary mystery, it's now a historical. Still, it contains enough detail that the historical references can be understood.

The mystery was clever and complex, but whodunit could be guessed from the clues. In fact, the critical evidence was repeated several times--the hard part was making sense of what the clues meant. It was fun that Poirot was competing against a Sherlock-Holmes-type local detective, and suspense was added when even Hastings made Poirot's life difficult near the end.

The characters were varied, interesting, and acted in realistic ways. Hastings seemed particularly stupid in this novel, but I think it's supposed to be one of the early Poirot novels so he hadn't had time to pick up how Poirot thinks yet. Hastings' tenancy to fall in love at first sight also came across as a silly to me, but I guess he is supposed to be fairly young in this novel.

There were no sex scenes. There was a minor amount of explicit bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this mystery.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

And the winner is...

noreply@blogger.com (Genre Reviewer) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 21:57:00 +0000

It's time to announce the winner of the Dreaming of Books Giveaway Hop. Including Twitter entries, we had 54 entries. Using a random number generator and numbering the entrants in the order I received them, the winner is:

Sophia Rose
who won A Play of Heresy

Congratulations! I'll be contacting you for your address.

For those who didn't win, you can always buy a copy of these books from your favorite bookstore or see if they have them at your local library.

Tristan's Gap by Nancy Rue

noreply@blogger.com (Genre Reviewer) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 22:56:00 +0000

Tristan's Gap
by Nancy Rue

ISBN: 1-4000-7034-1
Trade Paperback: 360 pages
Publisher: WaterBrook Press
Released: 2006

Source: Bought through Half.com.

Book Description from Back Cover (slightly modified):
For eighteen years Serena Soltanis has poured herself into her family, making every effort to please her husband and to protect her daughters from the evils of the world.

Then the unthinkable happens. Sixteen-year-old Tristan, the quiet “good girl” of the family, disappears–and the search to find her brings to light unpleasant truths that prompt Serena to question nearly everything she believes about her children, her marriage, and her faith.

Brokenhearted and drifting apart from her husband, Serena struggles to see God’s hand of grace in their lives. She's determined to find Tristan and rescue her from whatever trouble she’s in. In the process, she sees clearly her own failings as a mother and how God can bridge the gap between what she has to give and what her family needs.

My Review:
Tristan's Gap is a Christian general fiction book. While the book was from a woman's point of view, the issues were mainly about parenting in general, so men might enjoy it as well.

The characters were varied, acted in realistic ways, and dealt with realistic issues. The suspense was created by relationship tensions, not knowing what happened to Tristan and some instances where Serena was in physical danger. The unique setting details brought the story alive in my imagination.

I did wonder why the detective didn't just check the phone records to see where the phone call came from. It would have cut several months off the search. However, it's a minor point.

The Christian element was woven into the story and flowed as a natural part of the story. There were some short conversations about God, but they didn't give "easy answers" to Serena's questions and didn't come across as sermons to the reader.

There were no sex scenes. There was a minor amount of fake bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this book.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Dreaming of Books Giveaway Hop

noreply@blogger.com (Genre Reviewer) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 21:46:00 +0000

As a part of the Dreaming of Books Giveaway Hop, I'm holding a giveaway for your choice of one of the following books:

A Play of Heresy by Margaret Frazer is a historical mystery. You can read my review here.

In the early summer of 1438, Joliffe and his fellow players have arrived in Coventry for the theatrical and religious festival of Corpus Christi. Employed by several of the city's rich and powerful merchant guilds, they plan to present two of the many plays extravagantly depicting all of God's story with pomp and pageantry. When the merchant Master Kydwa goes missing, Joliffe uses his skills as a spy to uncover what's going on.

Shadow of Colossus by T.L. Higley is a Christian historical set in 227 B.C. in Rhodes. You can read my review here.

In the ten years that Tessa of Delos has been in bondage as a hetaeira, a high-priced Greek courtesan to a wealthy politician, she has learned to abandon all desire for freedom and love. But when her owner meets a violent death, Tessa is given the chance to be free—if she can hide the truth of his death and maintain a masquerade until escape is possible. Now Tessa must battle for her own freedom and for those she is beginning to love, as forces collide that will shatter the island’s peace and bring even its mighty Colossus to its knees.

This contest is for USA & Canada residents only.

To enter the giveaway:

1) you can twitter me saying "Hi @genrereviewer. Enter me in the giveaway for [give the book name and author's name]."

OR

2) You can leave a comment to this post asking to be entered and naming which book you'd like to win. Please also leave some way for me to contact you--or follow this blog so you can see the winner announcement. I'd be fun if you also included why you're interested in reading this novel.

This giveaway ends on January 18, 2012 at midnight. The winner will be randomly selected. I'll announce the winner on January 19, 2012 on this blog.

If you entered using twitter, I'll send you a @ or DM telling you of your win and asking where to send the book. If you entered using the blog comments, you'll need to leave your e-mail address or check back to see if you won so you can e-mail me your mailing address. If the winner hasn't responded with a mailing address within four days, I reserve the right to pick a new winner.

I hope everyone has fun with this!

The blogs participating in the Dreaming of Books Giveaway Hop:

Shadow of Colossus by T.L. Higley

noreply@blogger.com (Genre Reviewer) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 21:17:00 +0000

Shadow of Colossus
by T.L. Higley

ISBN-13: 9780805447309
Trade Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: B&H Books
Released: August 1, 2008

Source: Bought from Books-A-Million.

Book Description from Back Cover:
The place is the island of Rhodes; the time, 227 BC. In the ten years that Tessa of Delos has been in bondage as a hetaeira, a high-priced Greek courtesan to a wealthy politician, she has learned to abandon all desire for freedom and love. But when her owner meets a violent death, Tessa is given the chance to be free—if she can hide the truth of his death and maintain a masquerade until escape is possible.

Now Tessa must battle for her own freedom and for those she is beginning to love, as forces collide that will shatter the island’s peace and bring even its mighty Colossus to its knees.

My Review:
Shadow of Colossus is a fast-paced Christian historical novel that contains some romance. It's set in 227 B.C. in Rhodes. The story was rich with setting, cultural, and historical details that brought the ancient world alive without slowing the pacing. The suspense was high throughout and was created mainly by the physical danger to the characters.

The characters were complex, realistic, and engaging. I cared about what happened to them. It was a wonderful book, but I did have a hard time believing that their secret wasn't quickly found out considering the haphazard way they initially handled keeping it hidden.

One of the characters was a Jew who looked forward to (and understood) a Redeemer-Messiah. He explained his beliefs as two Greek characters shared a Passover meal with his Jewish family. I wondered about very devote Jews freely using God's personal name (YAHWEH) in conversation. I was under the impression that even in 227 B.C. that Jews wouldn't generally speak the personal name of God out of respect.

There were no sex scenes. There was a minor amount of "he cursed" style of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this well-written novel.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

2012 Short Story Reading Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (Genre Reviewer) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 20:01:00 +0000

Since I've already read 2 short stories collections this year, I signed up for the 2012 Short Story Reading Challenge hosted by Library of Clean Reads. I'm entering at the "Tell me a Story" challenge level of 1 to 3 books:

1. Miss Marple: The Complete Short Stories by Agatha Christie
2. A Knot in the Grain and other stories by Robin McKinley
3. Forever Rumpole by John Mortimer

Number 3 probably doesn't really count since I read some of it in 2011 and posted my review on Dec. 25, 2011, but I might read more of it. We'll see if I come across any more short story collections this year.

A Knot in the Grain and other stories by Robin McKinley

noreply@blogger.com (Genre Reviewer) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 21:17:00 +0000

A Knot in the Grain and other stories
by Robin McKinley

ISBN-13: 9780064406048
Trade Paperback: 192 pages
Publisher: Harper Trophy
Released: May 1994

Source: Bought from Amazon some years ago.

Book Description from Goodreads:
A mute healer who meets the one man who can hear her thoughts, an abandoned princess who discovers the truth behind the mysterious stagman, a modern girl who finds the knot in the grain which leads her on a magical mission--these are a few of the characters in these five tales.

My Review:
A Knot in the Grain is a short story collection of Middle Grade fantasy stories. I enjoyed Robin McKinley's novels set in Damar (The Blue Sword and The Hero and the Crown) so I bought this book hoping to learn more about Damar. Two of the stories were set in Damar, but you won't know it from any other generic fantasy world if Luthe (a character from the novels) didn't briefly appear in them. We don't learn anything new about him, either.

Most of the stories follow the plot line of: a character has a problem, magic help comes along, the problem is fixed. The heroine generally doesn't have a difficult obstacle to overcome so much as a decision to make.

I felt like needed information was missing in some of the stories. The heroine in "The Stagman" was very passive, and the characters' weren't developed (or their motives really explained). "The Healer" was interesting and had a developed setting and characters, but I felt like too many things were left unresolved at the end. I've never really understood the magic part of "The Knot in the Grain."

"Buttercups" started well, but the conflict resolved too quickly and easily. "Touk's House" was the best written of the five: it had some conflict as well as good setting and character development. And it resolved everything at the end.

There was a minor amount of explicit bad language. There were no sex scenes. Overall, the stories were a mixed bag. Robin McKinley's fans might enjoy reading these stories, but I wouldn't recommend buying the book.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Miss Marple: The Complete Short Stories by Agatha Christie

noreply@blogger.com (Genre Reviewer) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 00:04:00 +0000

Miss Marple:
The Complete Short Stories
by Agatha Christie

ISBN: 0-399-150129-9
Hardcover: 346 pages
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons
Released: 1985

Source: Borrowed from the local library.

Book Description from Back Cover:
Presented for the first time in one volume are all twenty of the short stories featuring Miss Jane Marple, that delightful spinster whose innocent blue eyes belie her shrewd insights.

My Review:
Miss Marple: The Complete Short Stories is a collection of twenty short mysteries featuring Miss Marple. Though written as contemporary mysteries, they are now historical mysteries. A few of the stories mentioned a historical (or British) thing where I couldn't figure out what meant. Perhaps this was because they were short stories or because some of them were early in her career. I've never had this problem with Agatha Christie's novels.

The mysteries were clever, and they could be solved. I was a little disappointed that the title of one of the short stories gave away the whodunit. Overall, I'd recommend this book to "puzzle mystery" lovers, especially to Miss Marple fans.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Table of Contents:
From The Tuesday Club Murders:
The Tuesday Night Club
The Idol House of Astarte
Ingots of Gold
The Bloodstained Pavement
Motive v. Opportunity
The Thumbmark of St. Peter
The Blue Geranium
The Companion
The Four Suspects
A Christmas Tragedy
The Herb of Death
The Affair at the Bungalow
Death by Drowning

From The Regatta Mystery:
Miss Marple Tells a Story

From Three Blind Mice:
Strange Jest
The Case of the Perfect Maid
The Case of the Caretaker
Tape-Measure Murder

From Double Sin:
Greenshaw's Folly
Sanctuary

Re-read: A Posse of Princesses by Sherwood Smith

noreply@blogger.com (Genre Reviewer) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 23:10:00 +0000

Due to certain stresses in my life, I wanted to re-read a book I knew I'd enjoy. I just finished re-reading the below book and enjoyed it as much as I did the first time.

A Posse of Princesses
by Sherwood Smith

Trade Paperback: 299 pages
Publisher: Norilana Books
First Released: 2008

Author Website

Source: Bought from Books-A-Million

Back Cover Blurb:
Rhis, princess of a small kingdom, is invited along with all the other princesses in her part of the world to the coming of age party of the Crown Prince of Vesarja, which is the central and most important kingdom. When Iardith, the prettiest and most perfect of all the princesses, is abducted, Rhis and her friends go to the rescue.

What happens to Rhis and her posse has unexpected results not only for the princesses, but for the princes who chase after them. Everyone learns a lot about friendship and hate, politics and laughter, romantic ballads and sleeping in the dirt with nothing but a sword for company. But most of all they learn about the many meanings of love.

Review:
This is a young adult fantasy "battle of court manners" novel. If you liked Sherwood Smith's Crown Duel book, then you'll likely enjoy this book. I certainly did.

The world-building and pacing were very good. The characters were engaging and realistically varied. The characters learned a lot of good lessons about making friends, why bullies can be mean, and so on, but the lessons don't come across as lectures. There was romance in the book, but no sex. Overall, it was a "good, clean fun" novel.

Excerpt: Chapter One
From the tower lookout in the royal castle--highest tower in all the kingdom of Nym--Princess Rhis peered down through the misting rain at a messenger on the road.

This rider slumped in the saddle of a long-legged lowlands race-horse that was now plodding up the steep road, occasionally hidden by tall stands of deep green fir. The messenger had to be from the lowlands. Anyone raised in Nym's mountains knew that the only animal for the steep roads was a pony. Their sturdy bodies and short legs fared better on steep slopes. The rider's cloak was crimson, a bright splash of color even in the gloom of a rainy afternoon. None of Nym's royal messengers wore crimson cloaks. This one must be an equerry from the Queen of faraway Vesarja, she thought, and turned away from the window to resume pacing around the little room.

Once, many years ago, the old tower had been a lookout for Nym's warriors, no longer necessary since the kingdom had established magical protection. Now the small, stone tower room had become Rhis's private retreat.

The Man in the Brown Suit by Agatha Christie

noreply@blogger.com (Genre Reviewer) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 13:30:00 +0000

The Man in the Brown Suit
by Agatha Christie

ISBN: 0-553-35077-3
Hardcover: 242 pages
Publisher: A Bantam Book
Released: 1924, 1988

Source: Bought through Half.com.

Book Description, my take:
Anne Beddingfeld longs for adventure, like the heroines in her favorite novels. When a stranger falls to his death, she realizes that the man who says he's a doctor is actually riffling through the dead man's pockets...and, as he hurries away, he accidentally drops a cryptic note. The death is ruled an accident, but Anne decides to investigate in hopes of finding her adventure.

The note indicates that something is going to happen on a certain cruise ship that is sailing to South Africa, so she buys a ticket and joins the cruise. Her sea-sickness doesn't suit her idea of a heroine, and she decides being tied up is rather uncomfortable, but she gets more adventure--and suspects--than she bargained for.

My Review:
The Man in the Brown Suit is a historical mystery. It pokes fun at the heroine adventure stories of the time and is meant to be funny, though not overly so.

The story was written as a contemporary mystery, so it's not heavy on the historical detail though there's enough detail to visualize and understand what's going on. The characters were varied and engaging. The suspense was mainly created by wondering whodunit since the heroine never seemed overly concerned even when she was facing physical danger.

The mystery was interesting. Whodunit was guessable--we're given a vital clue at the end, very near to the big reveal. However, the clue wasn't obvious and I suspect few people catch that clue.

There were no sex scenes. There was a minor amount of explicit bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this engaging, entertaining mystery.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Forever Rumpole by John Mortimer

noreply@blogger.com (Genre Reviewer) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 03:06:00 +0000

Forever Rumpole:
The Best of the Rumpole Stories
by John Mortimer

ISBN-13: 9780670023066
Hardcover: 526 pages
Publisher: Penguin Group USA, Inc
Released: November 10, 2011

Source: Unrequested review copy from the publisher.

Book Description, modified from the Cover:
While still a practicing barrister, Mortimer took up the pen and wrote stories featuring the cigar-chomping, cheap-wine-tippling Rumpole and his wife, Hilda (aka "She Who Must Be Obeyed"). Forever Rumpole brings together fourteen of Rumpole's most entertaining adventures, together with a fragment of a new story.

My Review:
Forever Rumpole is described as a mystery, but it's more a court drama or literary fiction. This book is a collection of short stories that feature Rumpole as their main character.

In the Author's Introduction, he writes, "I wanted a sort of detective, who could be the hero of a number of stories but whose personality and approach to life were more important than the crimes with which he was concerned." This describes the stories well. Rumpole's life and opinions were more the focus of the stories than his figuring out how to win his cases. While the other characters viewed him as comical, he seemed a sad sort of person to me. He wins his cases, but he losses at life.

Apparently, Rumpole is a famous character, though I've never heard of him. While the stories were well-written, I wasn't that interested in the stories because the "bad guy" wasn't brought to justice, innocence wasn't saved, and our hero wasn't even happy with the outcomes. But if you like more realistic, life-focused crime fiction, you might enjoy these stories.

I didn't read all of the short stories, but in the stories I read, there was no sex and only a minor amount of explicit bad language.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

The Rose and the Ring by M.A. Titmarsh

noreply@blogger.com (Genre Reviewer) — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 18:15:00 +0000

The Rose and the Ring
by M.A. Titmarsh

Hardcover: 212 pages
Publisher: MacMillan Company
Released: 1923

Source: Inherited from my grandmother.

Book Description, my take:
Fairy Blackstick decides that giving the normal fairy-tale fairy gifts doesn't really benefit the one it's given to or their kingdom, so she decides to give the babies of two neighboring kingdoms the gift of a little misfortune. Both reigning families are deposed: the princess goes missing and is thought dead (though she isn't) while the prince is kept on the sidelines by his usurping uncle. When the prince and princess of the usurping kings meet, thanks to a magic rose and a magic ring, they look very beautiful and clever to each other--as long as they have the rose and ring. Silliness happens on the way to the rightful prince and princess learning to be good people, regaining their kingdoms, and marrying.

My Review:
The Rose and the Ring is a fairy tale that pokes fun at fairy tales. It was written for children, but adults will also enjoy it. It's written in the style of someone explaining a pantomime (with black-and-white drawn pictures replacing the actors in the book). It's a funny story, and the whole thing is meant to be on the ridiculous side. There is no bad language and no sex.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

FREE EBOOK: You can read the whole book here.

Traitors by Andrew Snaden

noreply@blogger.com (Genre Reviewer) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 01:55:00 +0000

Traitors
by Andrew Snaden

ISBN-13: 9781593101459
Trade Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Barbour Publishing
Released: November 1, 2004

Source: Bought in a local library book sale.

Book Description from Back Cover:
FBI Agent Sam Perkins and his partner, Ali Marcoli, are putting their lives on the line to crack a dangerous drug and human smuggling cartel--one involving both the Russian and Chinese mafias. The stakes increase when a sniper shoots a key witness--and Perkins believes an FBI leak is the reason.

In a complicated cat-and-mouse game connecting terrorists and criminals on three continents, Perkins and retired CIA agent Jonathan Corrigan work to piece together the truth. And both are praying for results before the unimaginable becomes reality.

My Review:
Traitors is a Christian suspense novel. It appears to be the second novel in a series, though enough background information is provided in this one that you don't need to read the first one. However, this novel does spoil the suspense elements of the first one.

The story had two unrelated suspense stories occurring that briefly cross (though are not directly connected) at the end. One of these stories was wrapped up in the end, but the other turned out to be a very long prelude for the next book in the series--one which still hasn't been written, so probably won't be. On the last page, I turned the page seriously expecting another chapter--but there wasn't one.

The action was non-stop, and the suspense was high throughout. The suspense was created mainly by the physical danger to various witnesses critical to making a case against the crime lord they wanted to stop. The characters were varied and interesting, though I didn't feel like I really got to know any of them very well.

There was a Christian element--various Christian characters prayed ("he prayed") and there was an occasional mention of God (as in, "why would God allow this?" and the sufferer's answer). The Christian elements seemed to flow as a natural action of the characters and didn't come across as preachy.

There were no sex scenes or bad language. Overall, the book was suspenseful and a page-turner, but I'm not sure I'd recommend it since the book ends with one plot unresolved and apparently no sequel to wrap it up.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Excerpt from Chapter One
Thursday, July 4

Yuri Davidov peered at his cards through a cloud of cigarette smoke. Queens full of aces--a full house. He looked over his cards at Tony Heng, a skinny Asian gangster whose uncanny string of luck had just run out. Yuri tossed a packet of money to the center of the table. "That's your thousand plus two. Want to count it?"

One of Heng's bodyguards reached for the money, but Tony waved him off.

"I trust you, my Russian friend. After all, according to my uncle we're business partners now, aren't we?" Heng's thin lips spread into a toothy grin.

Davidov narrowed his eyes. "So I've been told."

Heng touched his chin and pondered the cash in the center of the table. "Such a large bet. Perhaps I should fold?"

"I'd expect as much from you."

Heng grinned. "Ah, a taunt. Is it because you have a strong hand or because you're bluffing? Russians like to bluff, don't they?"

Tahn by L.A. Kelly

noreply@blogger.com (Genre Reviewer) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 18:36:00 +0000

Tahn
by L.A. Kelly

ISBN-13: 9780800759995
Trade Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Revell
Released: January 1, 2005

Source: Bought through Half.com.

Book Description from Back Cover:
Tahn Dorn is trapped in the middle of a looming conflict between two noble families. Trained in his youth to be a mercenary but troubled by the deeds of his past, Tahn must now choose between the commanders of a master and the urgings of his own good conscience. When his latest orders instruct him to kidnap Lady Netta of the House of Trillet, Tahn realizes that following his conscience won't be easy, especially with the lives of his young students at stake.

As Tahn's struggle continues, neither he nor Lady Netta can foretell the series of events that will unfold and change both their lives forever. Wrestling to understand Netta's God, Tahn is filled with doubt, and Netta herself wonders how such a man is willing to risk his life for a ragtag band of little children.

My Review:
Tahn is Christian fiction. I was thinking of calling it a fantasy, but it's more historical (European medieval). Though the country doesn't really exist, the story had things like Christian priests rather than magic, fantasy races, or other traditional fantasy elements. The setting detail brought the story alive in my imagination, but that detail was more generic medieval than a specific time period.

The characters were complex and acted in realistic ways. I found all of the characters interesting and engaging. The story pulled me in, and I didn't want to stop reading to do other things. The suspense was created mainly by physical danger and wondering what would happen next.

There was a strong Christian element (praying, reading the Bible, etc.), but it flowed very naturally as a part of the story. There was no bad language and no sex. Overall, I'd highly recommend this well-written, engaging novel.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Michal by Jill Eileen Smith

noreply@blogger.com (Genre Reviewer) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 21:42:00 +0000

Michal
by Jill Eileen Smith

ISBN-13: 9780800733209
Trade Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Revell
Released: March 1, 2009

Source: Bought through Half.com.

Book Description from Back Cover:
The daughter of King Saul, Michal lives a life of privilege—but one that is haunted by her father's unpredictable moods and competition from her beautiful older sister. As a girl, Michal quickly falls for the handsome young harpist David. But soon after their romance begins, David must flee for his life, leaving Michal at her father's mercy in the prison that is King Saul's palace.

Will Michal ever be reunited with David? Or is she doomed to remain separated from him forever?

Against the backdrop of opulent palace life, raging war, and daring desert escapes, Jill Eileen Smith takes you on an emotional journey as Michal deals with love, loss, and personal transformation as the first wife of King David.

My Review:
Michal is Biblical fiction about David and Michal. It covered a lot of time--most of their lives--so the relationships came off as somewhat superficial. I thought that their initial falling in love was supposed to be superficial (Michal wanting to be his future queen and to be protected from her father, and David lusting after her beauty). However, later, after years apart and married to other people that they loved, they hardly even acted awkward around each other. Michal forgets her second husband--whom we're told she did come to love--like he never even existed.

The historical details were handled nicely. There wasn't a lot of day-to-day details, but there was enough to create a mental image of what was going on. The author stayed true to the information (and words) given in the Bible. I didn't quite envision things playing out the way the did in this novel, but that's true of most Biblical fiction. And I thought I tended to be harder on David than most people, but this author went even further than me: David only has a few moments of heroic faith and action in this story.

There were no graphic sex scenes, and there was no bad language. Overall, it was an interesting story, and I appreciate that it stayed true to what was given in the Bible.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

And the winner is...

noreply@blogger.com (Genre Reviewer) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 22:32:00 +0000

It's time to announce the winner of the Book Lovers Holiday Hop. Including Twitter entries, we had 44 entries. Using a random number generator and numbering the entrants in the order I received them, the winner is:

throuthehaze
who won Hickory Smoked Homicide by Riley Adams

Congratulations! I'll be contacting you for your address.

For those who didn't win, you can always buy a copy of these books from your favorite bookstore or see if they have them at your local library.

A Play of Heresy by Margaret Frazer

noreply@blogger.com (Genre Reviewer) — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 21:22:00 +0000

A Play of Heresy
by Margaret Frazer

ISBN-13: 9780425243473
Trade Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime
Released: December 6, 2011

Source: Review copy from the publisher.

Book Description, Modified from Back Cover:
In the early summer of 1438, Joliffe and his fellow players have arrived in Coventry for the theatrical and religious festival of Corpus Christi. Employed by several of the city's rich and powerful merchant guilds, they plan to present two of the many plays extravagantly depicting all of God's story with pomp and pageantry.

But even as his fellows prepare to perform the Nativity, Joliffe may be called on to play a wise man off the stage as well. When the merchant Master Kydwa goes missing and is found dead, another agent of the cunning Bishop Beaufort calls on Joliffe's skills as a spy to uncover if this murder was an attempt to prevent a warning about a possible Lollard rebellion from reaching them. But when their favorite suspect turns up dead, they have to re-evaluate what's going on.

My Review:
A Play of Heresy is a historical mystery set in 1438 in England. This is the seventh book in this series, but you can understand it without needing to read the previous books, and it doesn't spoil the mysteries in the previous novels.

While the mystery was enjoyable, I found the historical information extremely interesting. The author clearly did her research, but I never felt like I was being lectured to or given information not relevant to the story. The rich historical detail brought the story alive in my imagination and included how plays were run, how official murder investigations were done, and information about the Lollard's beliefs.

The "whodunit" element was guessable, though there weren't many clues. It's more like how a real murder would be solved than a clever puzzle-mystery. The characters were varied and had just enough of a human element to make them interesting even though we didn't get to deeply know them. The suspense was created by the mystery of whodunit and wondering if they'd be able to pull off a play that was poorly written and had few good or experienced players in it.

Though Lollards were viewed as suspect, Joliffe was not highly critical of their beliefs. (As in, people who share some of the Lollard's views aren't going to feel alienated by the storyline though it stays true to the beliefs of the time.) There was no sex. There was a very minor amount of explicit bad language. Overall, I'd highly recommend this interesting and enjoyable novel.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Excerpt from Chapter One
The day was dove gray, soft under low clouds, with the rain mist-gentle on Joliffe's face and beading silver on his horse's dark mane. His cloak was a long way yet from soaking through nor had he troubled to pull up his hood; the rain felt good against his face. Too, he judged by the blue patches of sky showing in the east that clearing weather was on the way and there would likely be sun enough to dry his hair and cloak well before he came to Coventry, especially since he was making no hurry of his going.

After a month of doing much, he was enjoying just now not having to do anything in particular. He would get to Coventry when he got to Coventry. There he would soon be doing much and more, and so was content in this while to be simply riding, with England at peace and in plenty around him. For such as worked the land, these were the year's gentle days. The spring's hard work of plowing and planting was past; the summer's hard work of haying and sheep-shearing yet to come.

Book Lover's Holiday Hop

noreply@blogger.com (Genre Reviewer) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 05:01:00 +0000

As a part of the Book Lover's Holiday Hop, I'm holding a giveaway for your choice of one of the following two books:

Hickory Smoked Homicide by Riley Adams is a cozy mystery. You can read my review here.

No one likes Tristan Pembroke, a snooty beauty pageant coach with a mean streak longer than the line outside Aunt Pat's barbeque restaurant--family run and located in the heart of Memphis, Tennessee. When Lulu finds Tristan's body during a crowded art auction fundraiser, the police suspect Lulu's daughter-in-law who publicly had a huge fight with Tristan over trying to sell a portrait of Tristan that Tristan had refused to pay for. Though a lot of people showed up at that fundraiser who hated Tristan, the police are having as much trouble as Lulu in tracking down who had the opportunity.

And a second chance to win:

A Deadly Penance by Maureen Ash is a historical mystery set in 1203 in England. You can read my review here.

When a member of the retinue of Lady Nicolaa de la Haye's sister is killed on the castle ramparts during a feast, it initially looks like a husband may have discovered the dead man dallying with his wife. But then Lady Nicolaa is told that the dead man fancied himself a bastard of royal blood, and he was determined to find his birth mother to prove his royal parentage. Lady Nicolaa asks Templar knight Bascot de Marins to help her solve the murder.

This contest is for USA & Canada residents only.

To enter the giveaway:

1) you can twitter me saying "Hi @genrereviewer. Enter me in the giveaway for [give the book name and author's name]."

OR

2) You can leave a comment to this post asking to be entered and naming which book you'd like to win. Please also leave some way for me to contact you--or follow this blog so you can see the winner announcement. I'd be fun if you also included why you're interested in reading this novel.

This giveaway ends on December 6, 2011 at midnight. The winner will be randomly selected. I'll announce the winner on December 7, 2011 on this blog.

If you entered using twitter, I'll send you a @ or DM telling you of your win and asking where to send the book. If you entered using the blog comments, you'll need to leave your e-mail address or check back to see if you won so you can e-mail me your mailing address. If the winner hasn't responded with a mailing address within four days, I reserve the right to pick a new winner.

I hope everyone has fun with this!

The blogs participating in the Book Lover's Holiday Hop:

Double Booked for Death by Ali Brandon

noreply@blogger.com (Genre Reviewer) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 23:20:00 +0000

Double Booked for Death
by Ali Brandon

ISBN-13: 978-0425244975
Trade Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime
Released: December 6, 2011

Source: Review copy from the publisher.

Book Description from Back Cover (slightly modified):
As the new owner of Pettistone's Fine Books, Darla Pettistone is determined to prove herself a worthy successor to her late great-aunt Dee...and equally determined to outwit Hamlet, the smarter-than-thou cat she inherited along with the shop.

Darla's first store event is a real coup--the hottest bestselling author of the moment is holding a signing there, which brings hordes of fans and some protestors. But when the author meets an untimely end during the event, it's hardly good for business, even though it's ruled an accident--until Hamlet draws attention to a clue that might indicate it was murder. Now Darla fears a killer might be lurking about, and an ex-cop friend and Darla help the hunky detective track down some clues...

My Review:
Double Booked for Death is a cozy mystery. I suspect other people may find the characters engaging, but I found that their (unexpected) excessive use of bad language and Darla's habit of worrying about everything prevented me from really bonding with them.

The cat is just a cat--possibly a smart one, but possibly just a bad-tempered and naughty one. At the end, I concluded that the cat wasn't as smart as I'd thought he was and so he lost some of his charm for me, but Darla concluded the cat was smarter than she'd thought. I suspect I missed the significance of the books he chose to be naughty with (beyond the obvious that they were crime-related).

There weren't really enough real clues to guess whodunit until near the end of the book. Even when it was obvious, I keep expecting another twist because I didn't really understand whodunit's motive even though it was explained. Again, I was left feeling like I missed something.

Despite that, the book was enjoyable. There was some nice detail woven in about the book-selling business. The suspense was created by several strange and creepy happenings.

There was a fair amount of explicit cussing and swearing as well as some fake bad words. There were no sex scenes. Overall, I'm recommend this as an enjoyable mystery as long as you don't mind the bad words and low chance of guessing whodunit based on clues.

Update: After thinking it over a while, I decided part of the reason I was left feeling vaguely dissatisfied with this story was that Darla (and cat and and friends) don't solve the case. They don't know whodunit until the big confession scene, and the case would have been solved even if they did nothing throughout the story.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Excerpt from Chapter One
Afternoon sun spilled through the mottled glass of the double front doors leading into Pettistone's Fine Books, the golden light stippling the dark figure sprawled upon the faded Oriental rug that served as a welcome mat. Those customers who'd entered the first-floor brownstone shop within the past half hour had taken the sight of the motionless form in stride--this was Brooklyn, after all--and casually stepped over it to head in the direction of the bestseller table. Finally, however, a cardigan-swathed octogenarian halted in the doorway. His expression was one of vexation as he stared down at the body blocking his path.

"Dead, is he?" the old man exclaimed, giving the "he" in question a querulous poke with his rubber-tipped wooden cane.

"No!"

The single panicking word was both an answer and a warning. Darla Pettistone leaped from her perch behind the cash register and rushed toward the door, determined to forestall mayhem. She was too late. A sleek black paw the size of a toddler's hand, but far more dangerously equipped, had already slashed out and caught the lacquered walking stick in five needle-sharp claws.

And the winner is...

noreply@blogger.com (Genre Reviewer) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 21:33:00 +0000

It's time to announce the winner of the Gratitude Giveaways Blog Hop. Including Twitter entries, we had 52 valid entries. Using a random number generator and numbering the entrants in the order I received them, the winner is:

melatc
who won Dangerous Alterations

Congratulations! I'll be contacting you for your address.

For those who didn't win, you can always buy a copy of these books from your favorite bookstore or see if they have them at your local library.

Gratitude Giveaways Blog Hop link

noreply@blogger.com (Genre Reviewer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 18:14:00 +0000

Welcome, visitors! If you're looking for my Gratitude Giveaways Blog Hop, it's here.

The Amarath Enchantment by Julie Berry

noreply@blogger.com (Genre Reviewer) — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 18:14:00 +0000

The Amarath Enchantment
by Julie Berry

ISBN-13: 978-1-59990-334-7
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA
Released: 2009

Source: Borrowed from my local library.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
When Lucinda Chapdelaine was a small child, her parents left for the royal ball and never returned. Ever since, Lucinda has been stuck in perpetual servitude at her evil aunt’s jewelry store. Then a mysterious visitor and an even more bizarre piece of jewelry both enter the shop on the very same day, setting in motion a string of twists and turns that will forever alter Lucinda’s path. In this magical story filled with delightful surprises, Lucinda will dance with the crown prince, find an friend in the so-called Amaranth Witch, avenge her parents’ death, and maybe—just maybe—capture the heart of a prince.

My Review:
The Amarath Enchantment is a young adult fantasy novel with similarities to the Cinderella story. It's set in the real world at a vague time period, but it has fantastic and fantasy elements. The characters were engaging and varied, and the suspense (from physical danger, relationship tensions, and the mystery of what will happen next) kept me reading.

I was a bit sad that all of the "good guy" characters got their happy ending except one who had it snatched away. Since it pushed realism that everyone else got their happy endings, I didn't understand why that character couldn't have found a solution that involved happiness as well.

There was no bad language and no sex scenes. The magic element involved a magic object that allowed access to another world. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable book.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Excerpt: Read an excerpt from chapter one using Google Preview.

Hickory Smoked Homicide by Riley Adams

noreply@blogger.com (Genre Reviewer) — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 22:05:00 +0000

Hickory Smoked Homicide
by Riley Adams

ISBN-13: 9780425244609
Mass Market Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime
Released: November 1, 2011

Source: Review copy from the publisher.

Book Description from Back Cover (modified):
Welcome to Aunt Pat's barbeque restaurant--family run and located in the heart of Memphis, Tennessee. Named in honor of Lulu Taylor's great-aunt, the restaurant on Beale Street is famous for its ribs and spicy corn bread, but sometimes Southern comfort food can come with a side of murder...

No one likes Tristan Pembroke, a snooty beauty pageant coach with a mean streak longer than the line outside Aunt Pat's. When Lulu finds Tristan's body during a crowded art auction fundraiser, the police suspect Lulu's daughter-in-law who publicly had a huge fight with Tristan over trying to sell a portrait of Tristan that Tristan had refused to pay for. Though a lot of people showed up at that fundraiser who hated Tristan, the police are having as much trouble as Lulu in tracking down who had the opportunity.

My Review:
Hickory Smoked Homicide is a humorous cozy mystery. It's the third in a series, but you can follow this story without having read the first novel, and this novel didn't spoil the mysteries in the previous novels.

The characters were varied, engaging, and acted realistically. Lulu was an elderly lady with many friends. She listened to their gossip about who saw whom with whom and who argued with whom and so forth in an effort to solve the case. (She reminded me a little of Agatha Christie's Miss Marple.) While whodunit had occurred to me as a good possibility, so many people had a motive that it wasn't obvious who actually had. I liked that Lulu put all the clues together at the same time I did and that the vital clue wasn't something obvious that the police somehow overlooked.

The story had a lovely atmosphere that made me feel immersed in Memphis, TN and no where else. This fast-paced story had details about the setting and jobs, including the Southern food they ate. Some recipes for the food mentioned in the story were included in the back of the book.

There were no sex scenes. There was a minor amount of fake bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this well-written, enjoyable mystery.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.