Book Review: Gods and Fathers by James LePore

Gods and Fathers by James LePore

Publisher: The Story Plant

Publish Date: February 7, 2012

Paperback, 300 pages 
Fiction, Suspense, Thriller
 ISBN: 978-1611880298

My Review:
This is the type of thriller I have been missing.  A little dark, but with moral lessons, and great characters, Gods and Fathers will be a suspense/thriller that I think about for quite awhile after I have finished it.  I will continue to process what happened in the book and think about the characters.  It's a true thriller in that it kept me turning the pages, but it also had me invested in the characters.  Mr. LePore has scored a home run with me with Gods and Fathers and found a loyal fan to read his previous books and any future books as well.

I love a good thriller and anyone who reads them knows that the plot drives them.  And the plot does drive Gods and Fathers.  I went through the whole book trying to figure out who did it and why.  There were a sufficient number of suspects that I was always kept guessing and I never could figure out the whys no matter how many hints Mr. LePore threw out.  The plot was really well done.  I think it was very carefully crafted.  It was also well-paced. It was never too slow nor did it feel too rushed towards the end.

The plot was a main part of this book, but the characters stood out as well and were crafted too.  I loved Matt.  He's a hot-head who is not perfect, but he has worked out a life for himself.  He's a solid A.D.A. and from what we learn early in the book he has cultivated a lot of friends through the police department.  This turns out to be very important.  However he is estranged from his ex-wife and his son.  When his son is accused of murder, his carefully crafted life is turned upside down and all he wants to do is make things right for his son.  So we see him as a good dad doing whatever he can for a son who really doesn't seem to like him.  But we get to see things change through the book and that is what I loved watching as much as the suspense plot.  The growth and change of characters is thrilling in and of itself.  Mr. LePore breathes real life into his characters and makes the reader really care for them.  I found myself truly invested in Matt, Jade, several of the police officers and eventually even Michael who seems cold and spoiled at the beginning.

Gods and Fathers is full of plots and thrills and interesting characters.  It's a hard book to put down.  I put in my earphones, some peaceful music and sat down and tuned out the world around me (my boys playing in the living room where I read) and enjoyed this book for an evening.  I escaped to a frightening world of New York City and a underbelly I hope to never know.  However the policemen, Jade and Matt, I would love to know them since they would sacrifice just about anything to find out the truth and bring it to light.  Those are the people I want on my side if I was ever in trouble.  Gods and Fathers is a wonderful book if you enjoy suspense/thrillers or if you want to jump into the genre for the first time.  I don't think I can say enough about this novel.  It really was that amazing to me.  Fast-paced, great characters, interested plots and sub-plots, just a solid suspense/thriller that has me dying to get my hands on more of James LePore's books.

My Rating: 5.0/5.0


About the Book:
Matt DeMarco is an accomplished Manhattan attorney with more than his share of emotional baggage. His marriage ended disastrously, his ex-wife has pulled their son away from him, and her remarriage to a hugely successful Arab businessman has created complications for Matt on multiple levels. However, his life shifts from troubled to imperiled when two cops – men he's known for a long time – come into his home and arrest his son as the prime suspect in the murder of the boy's girlfriend.

Suddenly, the enmity between Matt and his only child is no longer relevant. Matt must do everything he can to clear his son, who he fully believes is innocent. Doing so will require him to quit his job and make enemies of former friends – and it will throw him up against forces he barely knew existed and can only begin to comprehend how to battle.

Gods and Fathers is at once a powerful mystery and a provocative international thriller, all of it presented with LePore's signature fascinating characters placed in dire circumstances where every choice poses new and potentially fatal challenges.

Nationally bestselling author James LePore has established a reputation as a writer whose vividly drawn characters and morally complex plots have kept readers up to all hours turning pages. His new novel promises more sleepless nights and more nonstop thrills.

About the Author (from Goodreads.com): 
In 1999 I sold my law practice to write and take pictures full time. My photography can be seen at www.nakedeyeimages.com. In 2008, I signed a four-book contract with The Story Plant, a small, agile publisher in Stamford, Connecticut. My first novel. 'A World I Never Made,' was released in April of 2009; the second, 'Blood of My Brother,' on December 25, 2010, and the third, 'Sons and Princes,' in April, 2011. Reviews are on my website, or just Google me. I have also written six short stories that stand alone as pieces of short fiction, but that are meant to accompany my first two novels. The first three of these was released in February, 2011, under the title, 'Anyone Can Die.'

Website

FTC Information: I received this book through Partners in Crime book tours for an honest review.  I do make money from purchases made at The Book Depository and B&N.com, but all money is used to fund giveaways and shipping for giveaways from the blog.

Follower Love Giveaway Hop

Welcome to the Follower Love Giveaway Hop sponsored by I Am A Reader, Not a Writer and Rachael Renee Anderson.  Up for grabs is a book of the winner's choice at The Book Depository up to a $10 value.  It's open international (if The Book Depository ships to your country).  Just fill out your name and email so I can contact the winner in the Rafflecopter below and you are entered.  All other entries are optional.

Thank you to all my wonderful followers new and old!  I do appreciate you and love your comments.  I also wanted to let you know I will be drawing all winners soon for the hops/giveaways that I haven't drawn yet.  So stay tuned - I am getting caught up slowly.

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Book Excerpt and Mini-Review: The Legacy of Eden by Nelle Davy

The Legacy of Eden by Nelle Davy

Publisher: MIRA Books

Publish Date: January 24, 2012

Paperback, 400 pages 
Fiction, Family Saga
 ISBN: 978-0778329558

Today's Excerpt:

“I just finished a shift.”

“Are the girls around?”

“I’m alone, it’s okay.”

I closed my eyes and swallowed.

“Good, I—I need to talk to you. It’s—”

“Is this about Cal Jr.?” she asked abruptly.

My eyes flew open. I felt winded. My voice, when it came out, was harsh, animal.

“How?”

“The family lawyers called me.”

“When?”

“A few days ago.”

“Why?”

“Same reason I suppose that they contacted you.”

“They did not call me,” I said, looking down at the letter, which was crumpled in the fist of my hand. “They wrote instead.”

“I told them straight out I didn’t care. Not about him dying, not about the farm or how he had driven it so far into the ground it was halfway to hell. They talked about my ‘responsibility.’ I told them I had done above and beyond more than my duty by that place.”

I bit my lip so hard I thought I tasted blood.

“I suppose I was a bit harsh,” she said reflectively, “but I got the feeling that they would just keep calling if they thought they could get anywhere. 

Check out tomorrow's excerpt at:  http://theeclecticelement.blogspot.com/


My Partial Review:
I am in the middle of The Legacy of Eden right now and I am really enjoying.  I like that I am getting to know the Hathaway family little-by-little warts and all.  They are definitely interesting and Ms. Davy's storytelling is great.  She does a wonderful job luring you into the story and keeping you interested.  I plan on posting a final review in the next couple of days, but so far this book has been really good.  I was reading it in the middle of a busy doctor's office today and I can't usually concentrate in places like that, but I was drawn in and felt like I was at Aurelia as I read through the pages.

About the Book:
"To understand what it meant to be a Hathaway, you'd first have to see Aurelia."

For generations, Aurelia was the crowning glory of more than three thousand acres of Iowa farmland and golden cornfields. The estate was a monument to matriarch Lavinia Hathaway's dream to elevate the family name - no matter what relative or stranger she had to destroy in the process. It was a desperation that wrought the downfall of the Hathaways - and the once prosperous farm.

Now the last inhabitant of the decaying old home has died - alone. None of the surviving members of the Hathaway family want anything to do with the farm, the land, or the memories.

Especially Meredith Pincetti. Now living in New York City, for seventeen years Lavinia's youngest grandchild has tried to forget everything about her family and her past. But with the receipt of a pleading letter, Meredith is again thrust into conflict with the legacy that destroyed her family's once-great name. Back at Aurelia, Meredith must confront the rise and fall of the Hathaway family... and her own part in their mottled history.

"Our farm was like the world when people still thought it was flat. And when you left it, it was as if you had simply sailed too far and fallen off the surface into the void."

About the Author (from her website): 
Nelle was originally born in St George’s Grenada under the name Janelle (which she always hated and immediately shortened when she went to University). She moved to London when she was nine months old because her grandfather was English and her parents supposedly wanted a better life. She got a scholarship to Sir William Perkins School for girls where she had a wonderful English teacher Mrs. Wells who encouraged her constantly in her love for books. She went to Warwick University to study English with Creative Writing where after swearing she would never marry, she met her future husband. She did a masters in Creative Writing at Trinity College Dublin and then moved back to London in 2007 where she almost immediately began working in publishing. After working at Pan Macmillan she moved to work at a literary agency while also writing and pursuing a career as a novelist on the side.

She is 27 years old and The Legacy of Eden is her first novel. She has finished writing a second novel based on the civil rights movement in Louisiana in 1963. She still lives in London with her husband and still works full time in publishing.

So far, she has not had a meltdown…

Website 

FTC Information: I received this book through Meryl L. Moss Media Relations for an honest review.  I do make money from purchases made at The Book Depository and B&N.com, but all money is used to fund giveaways and shipping for giveaways from the blog.

Book Review: Alienation by Jon S. Lewis

Alienation by Jon S. Lewis

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Publish Date: January 3, 2012

Paperback, 288 pages 
Fiction, Young Adult, Paranormal, Christian
 ISBN: 978-1595547545
C.H.A.O.S. #2

My Review:
I found Alienation to be a fascination young adult novel.  It was fresh and interesting to read.  I will definitely be passing it on to my son to read as well.

I really enjoyed Alienation.  It's fast-paced, easy-to-get-into and has interesting characters.  I liked the setup and liked the fact that event though this is the second book in the series I was able to jump right in and get into the story.  I will go back and read the first book in the series now, but I never felt lost not having read it.

Colt, Oz and Danielle are great characters.  There were things I really liked about all three and I think they are easy-to-relate to characters for teens.  Even though this is set in a different kind of world, I think it still works out great with similar lessons for teens in our normal world.  The alternate world just makes a more fun read.

I don't want to give anything away so go, poick this one up if you want something a little different and a quick enjoyable read.  Teen boys and girls both will enjoy this and I think even tweens will love it.  In fact I will be handing it to my very own tween next.  Probably after I find a copy of Invasion for him to read first (after I read it of course!)

My Rating: 4.5/5.0

About the Book:
After his parents were killed in a car accident, Colt McAllister was drawn into a world he thought only existed in comic books-one where mind control, jet packs, and flying motorcycles don't even scratch the surface.

Along with his best friends Oz and Danielle, Colt is now training at the secret Central Headquarters Against the Occult and Supernatural academy. But strange accidents seem to follow him. . . even with the security of the school grounds. What first seems random soon turns deadly. But who is targeting Colt?

As the alien invasions increase in frequency and force, C.H.A.O.S resources are taxed to the limit and they're forced to utilize the new recruits. In the midst of battle, Colt will discover some startling revelations . . . about himself, his friendship with Oz, and why he has been chosen to defeat this alien attack against earth.


About the Author:


Jon S. Lewis is the coauthor of the Grey Griffins trilogy (over 500,000 books in print) and the upcoming Grey Griffins Clockwork Chronicles. He also writes for the DC COMICS family of publishers. He resides with his family in Arizona.

For more about Jon and the series, visit www.chaosnovels.com.

About the Alienation iPad2 Giveaway:

The invasion was only the beginning! Jon is celebrating the next adventure in his fast-paced series with an explosive giveaway!



One thrill-seeker will receive:

• iPad2 with Wi-Fi
• Copies of the C.H.A.O.S. novels, Invasion and Alienation

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends at noon on February 7th. Winner will be announced at the Alienation Facebook Party on 2/7. Jon will be hosting an Author Chat, giving away copies of the books and gift certificates to iTunes and Amazon.com! Don't miss a second of the intrigue!
Grab your copy of Alienation and join Jon on the evening of February 7th for an author chat, spy training (How much do you know about alien invaders?) and lots of giveaways.

Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 7th!

***I received this book through Litfuse Publicity for an honest review.  I was not compensated in any other way except receiving the book for free.***

Romancing the Valentine Giveaway Hop

Welcome to the Romancing the Valentine Giveaway Hop, hosted by Reading Romances.  For this hop, I have seven wonderful romances to giveaway to one lucky winner.  These are a variety of ARCs and gently read copies from my collection, but all are wonderful books by great authors.

•  Strange Neighbors by Ashlyn Chase
• The Werewolf Upstairs by Ashlyn Chase
• How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf by Molly Harper
• The Lost by Caridad Pineiro
• Savor the Danger by Lori Foster
• Trace of Fever by Lori Foster
• Deep Disclosure by Dee Davis

Giveaway open to US/Canada, runs through 2/13.  Enter using the Rafflecopter below.  If you are logged in through Facebook you won't have to enter your name and email.  Thanks and Happy Valentine's Day!


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Book Review: The Jerk Magnet by Melody Carlson (Life At Kingston High #1)

The Jerk Magnet by Melody Carlson

Publisher: Revell

Publish Date: January 1, 2012

Paperback, 217 pages 
Fiction, Young Adult, Christian
 ISBN: 978-0800719623
Life at Kingston High #1

My Review:
It's no secret I'm a Melody Carlson fan no matter what genre or age-group she is writing is for.  The Jerk Magnet is another feather in her cap.  The Life at Kingston High starts off great wtih The Jerk Magnet which features Chelsea in the so-called ugly-duckling role until her future step-mother steps in with some wisdom and some fashion help and what seemed like a horrible dream when her Dad announced the engagement is suddenly a wonderful blessing.  And Chelsea is in even more luck in that she is moving across the country so no one knew her in her previous life, so she can try out her new looks and new confidence on new people.

I loved this.  While seeming to focus on outer beauty it had a much deeper lesson to it.  It has a great lessons through the whole book and things I think that girls in their tween and teen years can easily relate with.  Not only are there great lessons, but there is a great storyline that will keep you turning pages as well.  I read the book in one sitting.  I will confess to needing a break, and this was the perfect book for closing the door to the world for a little bit and escaping to San Jose and Kingston High. 

As for the characters, I found them varied and interesting.  I loved Chelsea, she's naive, but likeable. She's the pretty girl but she never lets it go to her head and she doesn't play games with guys heads.  I liked Janelle too.  She was honest and open and intriguing.  I also found the girl relationships to be very true of high school girls.  Ms. Carlson has that spot on as usual.  The boys were also different types of typical high school boys but they aren't too cliched.  I liked them and how they played off of the different girls.

I look forward to future books in this series.  This one had a great lesson and tied up nicely.  I have no idea where the series will go but I will surely be reading the future installments.  I think this will make another great series for teens and tweens (and older girls too!)

My Rating: 5.0/5.0

Parental guidance: Being a Christian book, it obviously is clean, but be forewarned that there are references to sex in generic ways (as in boys pushing too far, not actual sex), so if you have a tween that you don't want reading that kind of thing, then just know it's there.  Honestly though, most already know something about sex and Ms. Carlson presents a nice wait message in the book (and it's not all through the book, it's just in a few parts).  I think the whole thing is very well done and if I had a tween daughter I wouldn't hesitate to let her read this book. 

About the Book:
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? 

Teen favorite and bestselling author Melody Carlson helps girls uncover the real source of beauty in this true-to-life story of young love, friendship, and being yourself.

About the Author (from Goodreads.com): 
Melody Carlson is the award-winning author of over two hundred books, several of them Christmas novellas from Revell, including her much-loved and bestselling book, The Christmas Bus.

She also writes many teen books, including the Diary of a Teenage Girl series, the TrueColors series, and the Carter House Girls series.

Melody was nominated for a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award in the inspirational market for her books, including the Notes from a Spinning Planet series and Finding Alice, which is in production as a Lifetime Television movie. She and her husband serve on the Young Life adult committee in central Oregon.

Website
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FTC Information: I received this book from Revell Books for an honest review.  I do make money from purchases made at The Book Depository and B&N.com, but all money is used to fund giveaways and shipping for giveaways from the blog.

Book Tour and Review: Four Letter Words by Bill Giovannetti (+ link to Amazon GC Giveaway)

Four Letter Words: Conversations on Faith's Beauty and Logic by Bill Giovannetti

Publisher: Endurant Press

Publish Date: November 15, 2011

Paperback, 204 pages 
Non-Fiction, Christian
 ISBN:  978-0983681267

My Review:
I found Four Letter Words to be a very interesting read.  I think Bill Giovannetti worked very hard on this book. It is well thought out and the arguments are well-made and the research is well-done. 

Each chapter takes a concept that we deal with in the world and then takes one or two world views of the concept and dissects them.  Then he deals with the Christian view of the concept and how Christians can speak to others about that topic without coming off as haughty or arrogant, but yet be knowledgeable and able to share their faith.

Sometimes I felt a little bogged down.  Bill Giovannetti can get deep into some of the topics, but he keeps it interesting and he never totally lost me.  Eventually the argument made sense and by the time I got to the end of the chapter "Talking Points" I felt like I had understood what he had to say.

I think this book would be great for individual study and for group study.  I think it is really laid out well for group study and I'm thinking of showing it to my pastor for a future Bible Study and also to our youth group leader.  I think there are some great topics in here.  My favorite was dealing with "pain" because like the author says I think that is the one hot topic for everyone.

One last really cool thing about the book was the use of technology in the book. The author uses QR codes all through the book to highlight what he is talking about.  One even has you put your money where your mouth is and help end pain and suffering in the world by donating to Samaritan's Purse (which is a wonderful charity).  Very cool and I'm sure teens will love this even more than I did, since I'm not as technologically savvy as I use to be :)

My Rating: 4.5/5.0
 

About Four Letter Words:

Thou shalt tolerate every opinion... except the Christian's. Today's postmodern "prime directive" leaves many followers of Jesus tongue-tied. In the global village, isn't it unreasonable, and even dangerous, to suggest that the Bible has a monopoly on truth?

The church needs a new breed of Christ-follower. We need Christ-followers who are alert to today's touchy ideas, the truths that fire up more heat than light. We need Christ-followers who can make a clear case for the Bible's worldview; who are ready to help our friends think through their beliefs; who can recognize inconsistencies and challenge them; and who can do all of this with humility, confidence, humor, and love. For more information visit http://fourletterwords.org.

Link to buy the book: http://ow.ly/8FbUq   

About Bill Giovannetti:

Dr. Bill Giovannetti is a professor at A.W. Tozer Theological Seminary and the senior pastor of Neighborhood Church of Redding. An experienced speaker and author, Bill informs the mind in ways that touch the heart. He enjoys life with his wife and two kids in northern California. For more information about Bill and his other books, visit  http://maxgrace.wordpress.com  and http://fourletterwords.org. 

About the Giveaway: 

 

Bill is celebrating the new Kindle edition of Four Letter Words (for only $4.99)! He’ll be traveling coast to coast over the next few weeks on this virtual book tour and he's celebrating by hosting a great giveaway!

Click here (http://fourletterwords.org/2012/01/contest-giveaway) to find out how you can win two gift certificates to Amazon (in the amount of $50 and $25) and free downloads of his yet-to-be-released title, Recession-Proof: Living a God-Blessed Life in a Messed Up World.

The whole scoop here: http://fourletterwords.org/2012/01/contest-giveaway/ 

Blog Tour Schedule

***I received this book through Litfuse publicity for an honest review.  I was not compensated in any other way except receiving the book for free. ***