New Releases 9/16/14

Some of the new titles hitting shelves this week are:

The Paying Guests by Sara Waters

Made for You by Melissa Marr

Stone Mattress: Nine Tales by Margaret Atwood

The Clockwork Dagger by Beth Cato

Broken Monsters by Lauren Beukes

The Way Inn by Will Wiles

Broadchurch by Erin Kelly & Chris Chibnall

The Golem of Hollywood by Jonathan Kellerman

Edge of Eternity by Ken Follett

Honeymoon Hotel by Hester Browne

Love Me Back by Merritt Tierce

The Blood of an Englishman by M.C. Beaton

Queen Bee Goes Home Again by Haywood Smith

Johannes Cabal: The Fear Institute by Jonathan L. Howard

They Do the Same Things Different There by Robert Shearman

The Vault of Dreamers by Caragh M. O'Brien

The Infinite Sea by Rick Yancey

The Perilous Sea by Sherry Thomas

I'll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson

Day 21 by Kass Morgan

Jackaby by William Ritter

New on DVD:
Godzilla
The Fault in Our Stars

New reviews at Bookbitch.com:
The Marco Effect by Jussi Adler-Olsen
Inamorata by Megan Chance
Dead of Night by Jonathan Maberry

Wayward by Blake Crouch

Hubs was off fishing Friday and it was FREEZING here! I had to turn on the heat, which left me more than a little grumpy. It's way too early for that mess! But I was left with ample time to dive into the second Wayward Pines title by Blake Crouch, so it wasn't a total loss. (If you missed it, I covered the first installment, Pines, on Thursday.) Warning, if you haven't read Pines this will contain spoilers!

In the two weeks since Special Agent Ethan Burke woke in Wayward Pines, he's finally managed to settle into some sort of a routine. As the newly appointed sheriff he's spent his time getting acquainted with his neighbors and learning the ropes in their special little town. He's also been reunited with his wife and son. But all is not rosy in Ethan's world. See, Ethan is one of the select few who knows the truth about Wayward Pines and keeping that sort of secret can be a burden on even the toughest man. 

This series is crazy pants! So far both the first and second books have been seriously one sitting reads. In Pines it's because Crouch keeps the truth about Wayward Pines completely hidden from the reader until Ethan discovers it himself. In Wayward it's waiting to see if Ethan can keep up appearances and toe the line like he promises that propels much of the story forward.

But in Wayward there's also a murder. A real murder! And it puts Ethan in the awkward position of having an actual crime to investigate. What's worse, Pilcher believes the murderers are part of a group that's been quietly building its ranks in the town. A group that threatens everything Wayward Pines represents. One of the highest people in the group: Ethan's old flame.

Had I not also selected some me time movies (Veronica Mars) to watch while Mike was away I likely would have jumped immediately into the final book of the trilogy, The Last Town - the ending of Wayward is a killer and really does beg for it! I had to force myself to resist the urge at least temporarily, but no worries. It's on the agenda for this week.

Rating: 4/5

No Time to Die by Kira Peikoff + a Giveaway

What if you held the key to agelessness? 

Zoe Kincaid is a twenty-year-old woman trapped in a teenager's body. She's always been small and underdeveloped but doctors have never been able to find a reason, until now. A world renowned geneticist believes that Zoe's situation is caused by a rare genetic complication that has only appeared in one other person. The next step would be to map and study Zoe's genome and identify the exact genetic marker causing her condition. Not only does it lead her to hope that she may one day live as a normal adult, but it could also mean prolonging her beloved grandfather's life. But as soon as Zoe is diagnosed and shown to be physically stunted at the age of fourteen, officials step in. Although she herself is an adult, the physical results have led lawyers to suggest that Zoe is indeed only fourteen and thus unable to make decisions on her own. With her parents strongly against further testing, Zoe has no choice but to join up with the Network, a secret group intent on research without the burdensome oversight of government. 

Meanwhile, a government agency desperately seeks out that very same group. To date almost thirty researchers, doctors, and patients have disappeared without a trace - with one exception. A scientist is murdered by his own research subjects in his own lab and the Network's calling card is left behind. 

In her latest, Kira Peikoff tackles some interesting ideas and conundrums in the medical field. The first, of course, being the medical fountain of youth.

Genetic testing, while making great strides, is still a new frontier in the medical field. Scientists are still working to identify the function of most of the human genome so it's not too far fetched to imagine that something in there is capable of turning on and off the physical aging process. And yet there's a HUGE part of the pharmaceutical and medical industry built up around age management - not to mention the political ramifications of a population that's suddenly able to halt the aging (and dying) process.

Which leads directly to the other biggest issue in Peikoff's No Time To Die, oversight - or checks and balances - in medical research. It's a touchy subject to be sure.

I'm likely not the only reader to become somewhat infuriated at Zoe's story and the idea that while she's apparently old enough to be accepted into college she's still somehow only fourteen? It seemed like a stretch at some times and I'm not sure I'm completely sold on the idea. Considering it's a driving force in Zoe's plot it was, for me, a point that didn't work so well in the book.

But the Network, that did work!

No Time To Die wasn't a totally smooth ride - I did have issues with some aspects of the plot. In general, though, Peikoff's latest was both fast-paced (always a good thing in a thriller) and compelling (dirty review word - I use them a lot). It was also accessible reading for a layman! Peikoff does a great job making the science believable without going over the top with the medical jargon.

Rating: 3/5

Thanks to the publisher, I'm able to offer up a copy of Peikoff's latest to one of you. To enter simply fill out the Rafflecopter below before Monday, September 29. Open US only and no PO boxes please.

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Short Fiction Friday: Elderwood Manor by Christopher Fulbright and Angeline Hawkes

Bruce hasn't been home to Elderwood Manor for some time. In fact, he's done everything to avoid the house since leaving for college. But now his mother has called. It seems her time is near and she's asked that Bruce come home. Broke and desperate, Bruce has no other choice. But when he arrives he realizes that returning to Elderwood Manor is a big mistake. Something lurks in the depths of the house. Something that has waited all this time. Something that is hunting Bruce and his young son. 

Elderwood Manor is the latest novella released by husband and wife authors Christopher Fulbright and Angeline Hawkes. It's a pretty intense and creepy read!

Hawkes and Fulbright do well in building the perfect horror atmosphere in this tale. A man, beaten down and somewhat desperate, trying to survive and care for his son in the wake of his wife's death. A creepy house with a dark and sinister history. Closed off corridors. No neighbors in site. And a storm on the horizon. Yep, all the right elements for a good horror story!

My only real complaint with this one was the length. And yes, it's a novella, I went into it knowing it would be short and that's fine. I wanted more, though. I wanted a more fleshed out history of the house. I wanted a clearer explanation of the things that left Bruce reluctant to return. I wanted to know what really happened to his mom and his dad in the years that Bruce was away.

The build to the end was great - almost perfect, in fact. By the time the real action begins, though, Elderwood Manor actually started to feel rushed and was over all too soon. All in all it was a fun, dark read but one I'd have loved to spend more time indulging in.

Rating: 3.5/5

Pines by Blake Crouch

If you've not been checking the new tv show announcements then you may not know that M. Night Shyamalan is producing a the small screen adaptation of Black Crouch's Pines. Wayward Pines is slated to start on Fox in 2015 and has a crazy pants cast list: Matt Dillon, Juliette Lewis, Melissa Leo, and Terrence Howard (just to name a few). And the trailer looks super fun, so of course I couldn't resist sinking my teeth into the trilogy that started it all first.

In Pines Special Agent Ethan Burke awakens next to a river with a blazing pain in his head. At first he can't remember where he is or how he got there, but soon things begin to return. He'd been sent to Wayward Pines, Idaho in search of two missing agents - one of whom we learn he's had more than a professional relationship with. But upon arriving in town he and the agent accompanying him were hit by a Mack truck. His fellow agent was killed and Burke suffered a number of injuries, including the concussion that seems to be playing havoc with his memories and causing him so much pain. He has no money, no ID, and no phone. He can barely remember his home phone number, and for some reason he can't seem to get in touch with either his family or his boss. 

Plus, there's something strange about the little slice of paradise that Wayward Pines claims to be...

Yeah, I was intrigued from the start. Crouch hit all the right buttons, piquing my interest immediately. And fortunately for me he maintained that level of intrigue straight through to the very end.

The plot is driven by action - lots of action - and the questions behind Wayward Pines. The longer Burke is in the town, the weirder things become. And the action, well it's lots of running around and hiding, listening in on conversations, and trying to find a way to get back to his family.

In my wildest imaginings I could never have predicted how the book would end. I'd read some reviews and am impressed at this point that folks were able to keep it under wraps. I will continue to do so, so don't expect any spoilers from me! Know this, though, while I'm sure there are some readers out there who will respond to the big reveal with eye rolls and an "oh, that's it?!" I thought it was pretty cool.

I will admit that I'm kind of glad all three titles in the series are out at this point. I'm anxious to get back to Wayward Pines and see what comes next in both Wayward and the recently released The Last Town.

Rating: 4/5

The Night Visitor by Dianne Emley + a Giveaway

Hi, readers! Today I'm a stop on the TLC book tour for Dianne Emley's The Night Visitor. There is a tour wide giveaway here as well so be sure to read to the bottom to enter.

Five years ago, socialite Rory Langtry's sister was murdered. Rory's fiancé, artist Junior Lara, is the suspected killer but he's been in a coma ever since. The accepted theory is that Junior was having an affair with his soon to be sister-in-law and must have fallen into a rage when she tried to break things off, killing her and attempting to kill himself as well. Rory isn't so sure, but without testimony or evidence otherwise there seems to be no other explanation.

On the anniversary of the incident, Junior's surviving brother decides to take matters into his own hands. His plans for revenge backfire, though, and end up opening Rory up to what seems to be a connection between Junior's consciousness and her own. The link leaves Rory seemingly obsessed with proving Junior's innocence.

Dianne Emley's latest, due out in e format September 16 from Alibi, is an intriguing concept but one that doesn't completely delivery.

There were some interesting things going on in The Night Visitor, but the delivery was pretty simplistic. The details and characters are thin and the plot is extremely straightforward, leaving it hard to become overly invested in the story as a whole. I felt the potential was there for so much more but instead it felt as though the book had been pared down to bare bones, skimming off any depth that could have made it a compelling read.

The Night Visitor was fine for a quick read but was sadly forgettable upon turning the final page.

Rating: 2.5/5

As mentioned above there is a tour wide giveaway on this one. To enter simply fill out the Rafflecopter below:

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To see more stops on the tour be sure to check out the official TLC book tour here.

For more on Dianne Emley and her books you can visit her website here. You can also friend her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter.

The Angel of Losses by Stephanie Feldman

Good morning, everyone! Today I'm part of the TLC book tour for Stephanie Feldman's The Angel of Losses.

Marjorie was always fascinated by her grandfather's stories of the White Rebbe. In the wake of his death, that fascination became something of an obsession. The White Rebbe, the Wandering Jew, the various incarnations of this legend have become the focus of Marjorie's doctoral research. When she discovers one of her grandfather's notebooks and another tale of the White Rebbe, she believes it will further add to her studies. In reality it will lead her down a path that reveals secrets long hidden and discoveries about her family's past.

This is a hard one to tidy up into a neat summary. It's a family story - Marjorie and her relationship with her sister, both of whom were quite close until Holly married into an ultra Orthodox family. And it's about Eli, Marjorie's grandfather, a conundrum of a man who shared stories steeped in Jewish lore while turning up his nose at the religion. That and Eli's seeming decline before his death have always confused Marjorie and so it's understandable that she would latch onto the opportunity to delve further into his story via the tales he shared.

It's also a story about religion and folklore. Much of Marjorie's studies lead to connections between various folklores, all seemingly stemming from the same legend. It's perhaps this aspect of the story that I found most fascinating considering I've got a little of an obsession myself with folklore and the way various cultures' tales parallel one another. This is what initially drew me to the book, in fact.

It is an odd tale, I'll give you that. The story is interrupted by various stories Marjorie comes across in her research. On the one hand it brings the main narrative to a screeching halt while the reader settles into yet another story. On the other hand I found the tales to be both intriguing and gripping so for me it wasn't so jarring, instead it was a bit of a pause in Marjorie's tale.

In terms of subject and style this won't be a book that fits every reader's tastes - but what book ever does? It's likely too the kind of book that needs to be approached in a frame of mind. The slower pacing, the detail, and the tone of the book suited my own current reading mood and satisfied my own bookish cravings of the moment. Had I been in the mood for something that lent itself to a quicker read, for example, I might not have enjoyed Angel of Losses as much as I did.

To see more stops on the tour be sure to check out the official TLC tour page here.