Bookshelf Review

Jay Austin is a master used car salesman and knows every trick in the book when it comes to overselling and cheating customers. He has made a career out of deception and has even taught his employees the art of the deal. However, things begin to change when Jay buys a 1958 Triumph TR3A and begins to work on it. It seems the Triumph needs a new flywheel in order for the engine to run. Without the crucial part, the car is going nowhere.

As things begin to unravel in Jay’s personal life he starts to wonder where it all went wrong. His relationship with his son is lacking at best. He and his wife Judy are expecting their second child, yet it seems the spark in their marriage has gone out. To top it all off, his dealership is going under and no amount of dishonest deals will be able to save it. As Jay steps back and looks closely at his life he realizes that like the Triumph, he too needs a major renovation inside. For far too long he has done things his way and has ended up nowhere. With determination in his gut and a new found faith in his heart, Jay decides once and for all to give all areas of his life fully to God. What happens next will forever change Jay and impact not only his family, but his community as well.

Eric Wilson and the Kendrick Brothers have teamed up once again to create an inspiring story that will resonate with readers long after the last line. Alex and Stephen Kendrick are best known for their movie Facing The Giants, a successful Christian film about a high school football team that decides to let God lead their season. Flywheel was the first movie they made, and just like with Facing The Giants, Eric Wilson was later brought on board to write the novelization. Something tells me Alex and Stephen couldn’t be happier with this genius move.

Eric Wilson is certainly known more for his edgy suspenseful thrillers, but with Facing the Giants and Flywheel he has revealed another side to his writing that is every bit as enjoyable. Jay Austin is a flawed, yet endearing character that I was rooting for from page one. Many fathers will find themselves relating to the numerous struggles and spiritual triumphs he faces throughout the novel.  Wilson treats us not only with strong characters, but a tight storyline that never loses steam or direction. We are beautifully reminded that God wants to be involved in every aspect of our lives: family, relationships, and even business. When we do truly live for Him, He will work in ways we could never have imagined.

It was recently announced that Eric Wilson will be writing the novel for the upcoming Kendrick Brothers film, Fireproof. No doubt this will be another amazing collaboration effort. Eric Wilson consistently churns out riveting fiction and finally more and more people are starting to notice. Very few writers have the ability to keep you glued to your seat while at the same time opening your eyes to spiritual truth in such an effective manor. There is no better time than now to discover this incredible writing talent. After the upcoming Jerusalem’s Undead Trilogy many will be asking themselves why they’ve never read this guy before. Do yourself a favor and don’t be late to the party.

Xander and David King can’t believe this is happening. Their family has recently moved into a creepy old house with secrets around every corner. Sounds are never what they seem in the house. The hall linen closet is a portal to a locker at their school. And who could forget the strange clearing in the woods out back where you can actually float on air? All of that seems normal compared to the secret rooms that act as portals to other worlds. Now a member of the family has been kidnapped by someone from these other worlds and the King’s must work together to bring them back.

If things weren’t bad enough, a stranger shows up who tries to run the family out of the house. He seems intent on destroying the family’s reputation and soon has the local authorities on his side. Now the King’s must deal with a new school and unfair perceptions as they secretly band together to find a way to bring back their missing loved one. The more they search the more they begin to understand just how dangerous this house is.

Robert Liparulo opens this second installment right where the first left off. Immediately we are sucked back into the tension and mystery that made House of Dark Shadows so enjoyable. Round two is just as exciting as we are taken on another whirlwind thrill ride that never lets up. David King gets most of the spotlight here and it’s a blast getting to know this character more. We are treated to more alternate world adventures that are chocked full of action and suspense. Even more secrets are revealed and more questions created, adding to the clever plotlines that Liparulo masterfully weaves. Never is it obvious where the story is going and that’s what makes it so addicting. As with the first book, the themes of love and family are beautifully explored bringing a welcome dose of heart to the story.

Some readers may be turned off by the “juvenile fiction” tag on the back of the book. Don’t let the marketing fool you! This is a quality series that readers of all ages will enjoy. There are enough thrills, chills, mysteries, and action to keep all ages coming back for more. Liparulo’s die hard fans will love this series and new readers will be charging to the nearest book store to discover his other works. This is top-notch storytelling on every level!

Xander King is seriously bummed when his family moves from Pasadena, CA to a little hick town called Pinedale. He loved his life back home and can’t imagine what this new town and new school could possibly have to offer. When the King’s arrive they begin searching for a house to buy and finally stumble across an old, abandoned Victorian home deep in the woods.

Xander’s parents instantly fall in love with the old house and set to work trying to make it livable. Xander and his brother, David, begin exploring and make startling discoveries. It seems one of the closets is some sort of gateway to a locker in their new school. If that wasn’t strange enough, they also discover a secret passageway that is full of rooms that are portals to other worlds. After a couple of exploring adventures gone bad, the boys soon realize that this house is much more dangerous than they could have ever imagined. Unfortunately, the King’s are about to discover just how real that danger is.

Robert Liparulo is known for pulse-pounding thrillers. With winners like Comes a Horseman, Germ, and Deadfall under his belt, he has truly left his mark on the genre. Now Liparulo graces his fans with a new young adult series that has everything we’ve come to expect from him and more. House of Dark Shadows is a fun story that is full of thrills and chills that never feel watered down for the young adult audience. Xander and David’s mini adventures and discoveries are laced with just the right amount of action and intrigue to keep you nervously flying through the pages. The house itself is one of the strongest characters in the book, bringing a delightfully creepy tone to this well crafted tale.

As always, Liparulo’s writing carries deeper meaning beyond the action and thrills. At its heart this story is about the bond of family and love, and the power therein. With every new novel Liparulo continues to prove what an incredible storyteller he is and this new series is no exception. The end will leave you begging for more and loving every moment. This is Robert Liparulo at his best!

In the future Earth has been taken over by a unique alien species. The infiltration was slow and undetected until it was too late. Now these aliens, known as Souls, live inside human bodies, which act as hosts for the invading parasites. Usually when a Soul is placed in a new host it is able to take full control of the body, pushing aside any remnant of the human consciousness that once lived inside.

After a Soul named Wanderer is inserted into her new host she soon realizes something isn’t right. It seems the human who once inhabited this body refuses to give in and die. Melanie Stryder wants no part of Wanderer and is doing everything she can to fight back. Even though Wanderer controls the body, nothing she does is able to quench Melanie’s spirit. She is always there, in her head, so to speak.

As time goes by Melanie’s memories become Wanderer’s and soon she finds herself longing for the people that meant so much to her host. Melanie left behind her brother and the man she loves, and now Wanderer has developed those same feelings. Soon Wanderer and Melanie begin working together to track down Melanie’s loved ones, all the while being careful that they don’t lead the other Souls to the humans who are in hiding. When they finally do find them, they must figure out a way to live peacefully with a group of humans who have grown to hate Souls. Emotions flare and relationships are tested in agonizing ways as two lives must share one body and as enemies must learn to co-exist and survive.

Stephenie Meyer has taken the publishing world by storm with her groundbreaking young adult Twilight series. The Host is her first stand alone adult novel and millions of readers are anxiously waiting to see how it stacks up. Having never read any of the Twilight books, I didn’t know what to expect from a Stephenie Meyer novel. What I found was a fascinating story that is really unlike anything I have ever read.

While this story certainly has sci-fi elements, it is not what most would consider hard-core sci-fi. Meyer focuses more on the relationships of the characters and the intriguing dilemma of two lives sharing one body. Much of the book deals with Melanie and Wanda’s complicated love triangle with Melanie’s old flame and Wanda’s new love interest. There is action and suspense laced throughout, and Wanda’s relationship with the surviving humans is tension filled to the max. The novel’s real strength lies in the character of Wanda as she is constantly pulled between her duty as a Soul and the compassion she develops from her connection with Melanie and the other humans. Indeed, Wanda is the most human character of them all.

Meyer’s writing is top-notch throughout and never lags despite the massive page count. Readers who expect a fast paced storyline wrapped up in a mere 100,000 words may be disappointed. However, those who enjoy a steady paced tale that slowly builds into a powerful and emotional ending will love The Host. In the end we are left with just the right amount of closure, but also with a little taste of what is to come. I can only hope Stephenie Meyer will continue this incredible saga she has begun.

Sports agent Myron Bolitar is thrilled with the signing of a new up an coming tennis superstar. Duane Richwood makes his U.S. Open debut, making a big splash as he cruises through his first round match. The match is suddenly interrupted by the sound of gunfire and Myron runs off to investigate. The body of Valerie Simpson, a former mega-tennis star, is found outside the stadium. Just days before Valerie had reached out to Myron for help and now he feels obligated to look into her murder. As he digs for the truth he finds a shocking connection to Duane Richwood and another murder that took place six years ago. Now Myron and Win must team together once again to protect their new client and find a ruthless killer.

After reading Harlan Coben’s debut, Deal Breaker, I was instantly hooked on Myron Bolitar and his eccentric partner, Win. Coben once again delivers with taught storytelling laced with humor and suspense. Myron’s relentless search for truth is what drives these stories, while Win’s psychopathic tendencies bring a whole other intoxicating element that helps separate Coben from other mystery writers. If you haven’t taken the time to discover Myron Bolitar and company than you are truly missing out on some of the best and most unique mystery writing in the genre. I can’t wait to tackle Coben’s next Bolitar novel, Fade Away.

Writer/adventurer Henry Wolfe has a knack for getting himself into trouble. As Thrasher’s adventure tale opens, we find Henry on the run from the mob in Chicago in 1928. After a narrow escape he flees to New York where he is presented with an opportunity. The elite Prescott family wants to hire Henry to search for their missing son who was last seen on an expedition in Brazil. Henry accepts the deal eagerly anticipating the bestseller potential in this latest journey. Now teamed up with his old mentor, a beautiful young woman, and a handful of guides and natives, Henry heads into the unknown where terror and danger plague them at every turn.

Travis Thrasher never ceases to amaze me with both his quality of writing and his ability to write in any genre. Thrasher has published a wide array of suspense and love stories and this time around he tries his hand at adventure. This story has the elements we expect in such a tale: plenty or suspense, edge of your seat action, unexpected terrors, and a multitude of life-threatening scenarios. Of course none of these elements are new, but Thrasher’s unique writing voice brings a level of freshness to a familiar genre. No adventure story would be complete without a hint of romance and Thrasher doesn’t disappoint in this area.

Henry Wolfe is the real strength of the novel. He is an engaging and endearing character that is both tough and sincere. His journey of faith is explored effectively, never in danger of being heavy handed and always remaining relevant to the story.

Travis Thrasher proves once again what a talent he is and I can only hope more and more people discover this great voice in Christian fiction. Out of the Devil’s Mouth will no doubt have readers begging for more Henry Wolfe adventures. Up next Thrasher tries his hand at horror with Isolation and I can’t wait to see how he handles yet another genre. If this one is any indication I know it will be something special.

Nicholas Creel wants to control the world and if all goes according to plan, he just might. Creel owns the world’s largest defense contractor, Ares Corporation, and he will do anything to protect the future of his company. Creel hires perception manager Dick Pender to pull off the largest media, political, and international conflict scam imaginable. With careful manipulation of internet blogs, news feeds, and viral online videos, Pender sets in motion a series of events that will end with two of the world’s superpowers on the brink of all out war. As both sides respond in acquiring more firepower, Creel moves in to make the sale ensuring long-term stability for his company.

Meanwhile, a man named Shaw finds himself smack in the middle of Creel’s deadly game when he loses a loved one in the crossfire of this fabricated global conflict. Fueled by rage, Shaw embarks on a quest for truth using his black-ops training to hunt down those responsible. Along the way, he befriends American reporter Katie James who helps him realize that all is not as it seems. Together they will uncover a shocking truth with staggering global implications.

David Baldacci graces us with a powerful global adventure that is as frightening as it is compelling. The story unfolds at a brisk pace as Baldacci weaves a multitude of characters and locations together giving us all sides of this brilliant tale. The action is relentless and the suspense steadily builds in intensity as we are reminded of a very possible reality that is alarming to say the least. Baldacci reveals just how easy it is to manipulate the media and the internet to cause the public to believe a lie. I really hope Baldacci is way off on this one, but something tells me he’s not. What a fantastic story! What an unsettling truth! This is another intriguing offering from Baldacci that cannot be missed.

Newspaper reporter Catherine O’Rourke has become enamored with a recent case involving a woman who has killed her husband. The woman’s brother, Quinn Newburg, is representing her in court and arguing the insanity plea. Catherine closely follows every angle of the story, becoming especially intrigued by Quinn and his pursuit of justice.

Meanwhile, in Virginia Beach a series of kidnappings and murders have caught the public eye. As Catherine follows the story she begins blacking out and having strange visions that reveal details of each crime. Reluctantly, she goes to the police and is shocked when they in turn arrest her. It seems evidence has been found linking her to the murders and the police see her “visions” as far more than coincidence. Catherine soon begins to doubt her own sanity as more and more solid evidence begins piling up. Desperate for help she hires Quinn Newburg to plead her case hoping that he can prove not only her innocence, but her sanity as well. Unfortunately for Catherine, Quinn doesn’t believe her.

Randy Singer is known for riveting legal thrillers and his latest offering does not disappoint. As always, Singer’s full arsenal of talent is on display: intense courtroom scenes, complex plotl ines, and unexpected twists and turns. All of these elements work and help create an exciting read that is nothing short of intoxicating. Singer’s exploration of the insanity plea is fascinating and only adds to the richness of the story. I love novels that keep the reader guessing and I was pleasantly surprised by a clever twist that was way off my radar. Randy Singer has proven once again why he’s one of the best thriller writers in the genre. Don’t miss this one!

Teen brothers Alex and Brett Harris, creators of TheRebelution.com, present a bold challenge for teens in our culture: Do hard things. This isn’t just a book of ideas for teens, but rather a powerful call for teens to embrace their calling from God to change the world.

Alex and Brett bring convincing logic to the table as they discuss our culture’s low expectation of teens. Throughout the book teens are encouraged to re-think their potential and accept a new purpose for their life. We are reminded that the teen years aren’t a time to goof off and find yourself; rather these are the years where young adults make life altering choices and impacting decisions that will have long lasting effects. Indeed, this is a massive wake up call resonating with a powerful message.

My first thought upon finishing Do Hard Things was, “Where was this book when I was 15?”. The life lessons and practical applications that these 19 year-old brothers share are nothing short of inspiring and life-changing. I had chills as I read story after story of real-life teens that are rebelling against low expectations through their faith and actions. They are changing the world for the better and they are doing it in amazing ways as they continually let God lead them.

Do Hard Things is written for teens, but I am amazed at how much my life has been impacted by this book. No matter how old you are or what stage of life you are in, you will benefit from this powerful message. Ifyou are tired of going through the motions in life and suffering through a mediocre spiritual slump, then do something hard for a change. Check out this book and let God speak to you through the pages. Prepare for your eyes to be opened! The Rebelution is coming……

ALEX AND BRETT HARRIS founded TheRebelution.com in August 2005 and today, at age 19, are among the most widely read teen writers on the Web. The twins are frequent contributors to Focus on the Family’s webzine Boundless, serve as the main speakers for The Rebelution Tour conferences, and have been featured nationally on MSNBC, CNN, NPR, and The New York Times, as well as in publications like WORLD magazine, Breakaway, and Ignite Your Faith. Their first book, Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations, will be released on April 15, 2008, by Multnomah Books.

Sons of homeschool pioneers Gregg and Sono Harris and younger brothers of best-selling author Joshua Harris (I Kissed Dating Goodbye), Alex and Brett have a passion for God and for their generation. Their personal interests include politics, filmmaking, music, basketball, and soccer. And food. They like food.

When they’re not traveling around doing conferences, Alex and Brett live with their parents and three younger siblings near Portland, Oregon, where they attend Household of Faith Community Church. They plan to enter college together in the fall of 2008 — and continue to write, speak, and blog.

Mike and Tia Baye are worried about their son, Adam. Ever since Adam lost a good friend to suicide, he has withdrawn from the family. After much deliberation they decide to install spy software on his computer to keep track of his internet activity. Everything seems normal until an instant message from a mysterious source turns the Baye’s world upside down.

Betsy Hill mourns like any mother would over the loss of her son Spencer. As troubled as he was no one thought he would ever take his own life. While reading her son’s Myspace memorial page she comes across a photo that changes everything she thought about her son’s death. Now she must confront Spencer’s best friend, Adam, who is the only person who may really know what happened the night Spencer died.

Soon both families are intertwined in a desperate search for truth that will reveal shocking answers. As the questions are answered more families become involved and connections to a baffling police case come to light. Now Mike and Tia must dig through all the layers of secrecy if they hope to save their son before it’s too late.

Harlan Coben holds nothing back in his latest offering. This is high caliber suspense, gut-wrenching drama, and engrossing mystery all rolled into one. Coben brings the thriller genre full force into suburbia and gives us an eye-opening glance into the very real dangers that threaten families in our society. In Hold Tight we are effectively thrown into the middle of every parent’s worst nightmare and what a scary and sobering experience it is. As always Coben’s writing proves to be second to none as he effectively weaves several storylines together and somehow manages to link them all together without ever revealing where the story is heading. Coben’s fans will also enjoy some character cameos from his last novel, The Woods. Hold Tight can certainly be read as a stand alone title, but I highly recommend readers pick up a copy of The Woods to get the full effect of both stories.

Coben has not only created another addicting masterpiece, but he has blessed us with an unforgettable cautionary tale about parenthood. This one will no doubt keep you up all night nervously flipping through the pages. However, in the end you will want to hug your kids tightly and tell them how much you love them. If you haven’t read Coben before you will indeed wonder why after this one.

Winner of the Edgar Award, Shamus Award and Anthony Award - the first author to win all three – international bestselling author Harlan Coben’s critically-acclaimed novels have been called “ingenious” (New York Times), “poignant and insightful” (Los Angeles Times), “consistently entertaining” (Houston Chronicle), “superb” (Chicago Tribune) and “must reading” (Philadelphia Inquirer). His most recent novels, THE WOODS, PROMISE ME, THE INNOCENT, JUST ONE LOOK, NO SECOND CHANCE, TELL NO ONE and GONE FOR GOOD have appeared on the top of all the major bestseller lists including the New York Times, London Times, Le Monde, Publishers Weekly, Los Angeles Times, Wall Street Journal and USA TODAY – and many others throughout the world. His books are published in thirty-seven languages around the globe and have been number one bestsellers in in nearly a dozen countries.

Harlan was born in Newark, New Jersey. After graduating from Amherst College a political science major, Harlan worked in the travel industry. He now lives in New Jersey with his wife, Anne Armstrong-Coben MD, a pediatrician, and their four children.