Fiction
Copeland, Lori. A Case of Bad Taste: A Morning Shade Mystery. Tyndale House Publishers, 2003. Maude's husband Herb died within the last six months, leaving her without financial means except the money she earns writing books. Her mother-in-law, Stella, was financially no longer able to live at the retirement home so she moved in with Maude. Then Maude's son-in-law died leaving Cee, the widow, with many debts Cee moved in with Maude. Along with two poodles and a pug. Later they were joined by a mean and domineering cat. During all this Maude was trying to write a book whose deadline was looming. Fortunately, this sleepy little town was having an actual mystery of its own. Who would be breaking into homes and rearranging furniture, leaving new lamps and color coding closets--but not taking anything? Surely Stella will solve this one and find new purpose in life. As will Maude and Cee.
Diamant, Anita. The Red Tent. St. Martin’s Press, 1997. The red tent is the place where women gathered during their cycles of birthing, menses, and even illness. Like the conversations and mysteries held within this feminine tent, this sweeping piece of fiction offers an insider's look at the daily life of a biblical sorority of mothers and wives and their one and only daughter, Dinah. Told in the voice of Jacob's daughter Dinah (who only received a glimpse of recognition in the Book of Genesis), we are privy to the fascinating feminine characters who bled within the red tent. In a confiding and poetic voice, Dinah whispers stories of her four mothers, Rachel, Leah, Zilpah, and Bilhah--all wives to Jacob, and each one embodying unique feminine traits. As she reveals these sensual and emotionally charged stories we learn of birthing miracles, slaves, artisans, household gods, and sisterhood secrets. Eventually Dinah delves into her own saga of betrayals, grief, and a call to midwifery. "Like any sisters who live together and share a husband, my mother and aunties spun a sticky web of loyalties and grudges," Anita Diamant writes in the voice of Dinah. "They traded secrets like bracelets, and these were handed down to me the only surviving girl. They told me things I was too young to hear. They held my face between their hands and made me swear to remember." Remembering women's earthy stories and passionate history is indeed the theme of this magnificent book. In fact, it's been said that The Red Tent is what the Bible might have been had it been written by God's daughters, instead of her sons.
Dickey, Eric Jerome. Genevieve. Dutton, 2005. Sizzling, sexy, downright gritty love story about a professional African American couple living the good life in Los Angeles until their pasts come back to haunt them. The narrator's wife, Genevieve (pronounced ZHAWN-vee-EHV), receives a phone message from Grandpa Fred that Willie Esther Savage is dead. An intense unveiling of ugly secrets ensues as the couple travels to Odenville, AL, to bury the woman who was the reason Genevieve changed her name, smokes "bush," and cannot be the sexually free woman the narrator desires. The narrator is shocked to meet the lower-class family he never knew existed, with its violent and crass ways. But when "sister" Kenya comes on the scene, he's overcome by her physical magnetism. While the narrator finds himself mildly amused by Genevive's aging, folksy relatives, he salivates over Genevieve's hootchy sister, Kenya. Their red hot affair shifts into high gear just as Kenya's roughneck, Harley riding, fiance, Deuce, pays them a surprise visit and more secrets about Genevieve's childhood leak. Dickey creates a smidgen of suspense around the survival of the couple's marriage and the revelation of various secrets, but that's hardly his main goal. his book reminds us that marriage vows are sacred and that sex is never just sex but has its consequences. However, it's Dickey's aplomb in granting his characters the freedom to hit, holler, and ride their steamy, explicit passions that will clinch this book's popularity.
Gunn, Robin Jones. Sisterchicks Say Ooh La La! Multnomah Publishers, 2005. Amy's Grandmere was from Paris, France. So naturally Amy grew up dreaming of someday going there with her friend Lisa. Marriage, children and other life experiences took over but Lisa and Amy reconnect when they are in their forties. Paris once again looms on the horizon for them. And what an adventure they have! When we travel sometimes we fear that our luggage will not follow us. But we don't expect someone to steal it from us. What a way to begin a much dreamed of holiday. What do we want when things get hectic or we get stressed? Chocolate! Amy and Lisa find an amazing chocolate shop in Paris. They also find some new friends and leave some bad memories and fears behind. Fly along on a wonderful Sisterchick adventure to Paris and back!
Howard, Linda. Open Season. Pocket Books, 2001. Happy thirty-fourth birthday, Daisy Ann Minor. Not hardly! She realizes that she's the stereotypical librarian with mousey brown hair, and old-fashioned clothes. Her last date was in 1993. She decides that today is the first day of her new life. No more good girl; bad girls have all the fun. With her mother and aunt's advice, she contacts antique dealer Todd Lawrence to help redesign her from head to toe. Since he knows what color mauve is, he must be gay, right? The Chief of Police Jack Russo notices her even before the makeover. In fact, he crowds her and makes her nervous. With her blondish hair and specially picked clothes, the new Daisy has confidence. While she tries her new image in the neighboring town's bar, Jack is there keeping his eye on GHB, the new date rape drug which kills most victims. He saves Daisy this time, but her next visit puts her in dire straits which marks her for murder. This book is a masterpiece. Ms. Howard hooks us with a devastating opening prologue, then paints such visual pictures of her characters that they live and, then, wham, you laugh so hard you hurt.
LaHaye, Tim & Jerry B. Jenkins.
Glorious Appearing: The End of Days.
Tyndale House, 2004. It’s been approximately 7 years since the Rapture of the
Church where millions of unbelievers were left behind. All the original members
of the Tribulation Force have been killed save one, and he is near death.
Nicolae Carpathia, the Antichrist, has taken over the world. His global army has
surrounded Jerusalem and the last remaining remnant of Jews and believers in
Christ are held up in the wilderness of south Jerusalem in the rock city of
Petra. While at Petra the believers are supernaturally fed and protected as they
await the glorious appearing of Jesus on the clouds of glory. The Antichrist
knows that with an overwhelming victory at Petra, he would ascend to the throne
of God. With the sign of the Son of Man as vertical and horizontal lighting
bolts in the sky that make the form of a cross, Jesus majestically appears on
the clouds of glory. His army of saints, robbed in white garments, follows close
behind Him. With His appearance, Jesus destroys the armies of Antichrist with
the Word of God that He speaks out of His mouth. In the end good triumphs over
evil as believers from all over the world reunite with their love ones.
Mosley, Walter. The Wave. Aspect, 2006. In keeping with the current trend of the
horror genres’ reemergence of zombies, Mosley’s new book put a sci-fi twist on a
much loved storyline. Zombies are real in this novel, but they are the
emissaries of an alien group consciousness that crash landed on earth thousands
of years ago. The United States military knows about this entity, and are taking
drastic measures to contain it. Sounds interesting? Read The Wave by Walter
Mosley and be horrified and thrilled at the same time.
Patterson, James. Mary, Mary. 2006. Little, Brown, 2005. Washington, D.C., PD detective turned FBI agent Alex Cross is enjoying a much-needed vacation at Disneyland with his family when he's called in by the FBI to consult with the LAPD on a high-profile murder case. A-list actress Antonia Schifman has been slain, her face so badly cut up that she's almost unrecognizable. The murder isn't random; an L.A. Times gossip columnist has received a series of e-mails from a woman named Mary Smith, taking responsibility for the killing of Antonia, her chauffeur, and a well-known female movie producer. Cross studies the e-mails, which make reference to Mary's ordinary appearance and her fixation on the perfect families, particularly the children, of both women. When another prominent woman is slain, Cross is sucked into the case full time, jeopardizing the outcome of the custody battle he's involved in over his youngest son. As Cross studies the e-mails and patterns of the killer, he realizes he can't be certain of anything, even the gender of Mary Smith. The thrills in Patterson's latest lead to a truly unexpected, electrifying climax.
Picoult, Jodi. My Sister’s Keeper. Atria Books, 2004. Anna was genetically engineered to be a perfect match for her cancer-ridden older sister. Since birth, the 13-year-old has donated platelets, blood, her umbilical cord, and bone marrow as part of her family's struggle to lengthen Kate's life. Anna is now being considered as a kidney donor in a last-ditch attempt to save her 16-year-old sister. As this compelling story opens, Anna has hired a lawyer to represent her in a medical emancipation suit to allow her to have control over her own body. Picoult skillfully relates the ensuing drama from the points of view of the parents; Anna; Cambell, the self-absorbed lawyer; Julia, the court-appointed guardian ad litem; and Jesse, the troubled oldest child in the family. Everyone's quandary is explicated and each of the characters is fully developed. There seems to be no easy answer, and readers are likely to be sympathetic to all sides of the case. This is a real page-turner and frighteningly thought-provoking. The story shows evidence of thorough research and the unexpected twist at the end will surprise almost everyone. The novel does not answer many questions, but it sure raises some and will have you thinking about possible answers long after you have finished the book.
Picoult, Jodi. Second Glance. Atria Books, 2003. Jodi Picoult brings the supernatural world of ghosts and other phenomena to life in an unusual tale of love that transcends time and death. Second Glance is a story about the difference between life and really living. It is also about love. As the tale evolves the possibilities of loving and living beyond all time are gently unwrapped and placed before the reader. There is the mother with a son who has a rare disease, and as she focuses all her energy on him, the child sees the importance of living a rich full life. A young man who is a ghost-hunter enters. He is haunted by past events in his life that grow more and more confusing to him as he delves into the lives of those surrounding him, both dead and alive. A young girl who lives far away from all of this, is thought to be going mad when she claims to be haunted by visions that are unexplained.... The stage for this story is a building site that once disturbed, seems to trigger a series of unnatural occurrences in a small Vermont town. When these phenomena cause the construction crew to walk off the job until an explanation can be found the ghost-hunter is called in. The existence of an Indian burial ground elicits an investigation into that possibility. Between the ghost hunting and the legal and historical investigation, the facts of the past are uncovered, and the events that link everyone together are laid bare, and the truth is revealed. Each person in Second Glance questions the value of time as it relates to living and loving and Picoult brings them to a wondrous revelation that will change the very fabric of their lives.
Rice, Anne. Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt. Knopf, 2005. This is an interesting book. At first, I was a little confused by what I thought was literary license and later found out was my ignorance of the Roman Catholic doctrine of perpetual virginity. While I had to do some investigating to fully understand the doctrinal aspects in this book, it is well written and will be enjoyed by a wide audience.
Rusch, Sheldon. For Edgar. Berkley Prime Crime, 2005. When Special Agent Elizabeth Taylor Hewitt is summoned to the crime scene at Chain-O-Lakes State Park, she knows right away that this is the work of no ordinary killer. Nailed to a tree is a human skull with a gold ribbon dangling from one eye socket, a detail Hewitt recognizes from "The Gold Bug" by Edgar Allan Poe. This is enough to set her on the track of a relentless serial killer who bills himself as The Raven and patterns his murders after various gruesome deaths in the short stories of Poe. Intelligent and persistent, Hewitt soon finds herself closing in on the killer . . . but The Raven still has one last trick up his sleeve. This is Rusch’s first novel and if this is what we can expect, I’m eager to see what he’ll do next. Hewitt is an engaging character with the believably cynical turn to her personality that a reader would expect from someone in this line of work, yet there is a streak of idealism in her that holds our sympathy. During one particularly taut sequence in which Hewitt races to save a possible victim of The Raven, I looked down at the end of the chapter and saw that I had crescent marks on my hand where my fingernails had been digging into my skin. For fans of thrillers, police procedurals, Edgar Allan Poe, or all three at once, this is a rewarding read.
Snelling, Lauraine. Amethyst. #4 of The Dakotah Treasures series. Bethany House, 2005. 1886, Pennsylvania: Amethyst Colleen O'Shaunasy lived with her father, taking care of him since her mother died. He called her Colleen or girl or worthless. If she had any money left from selling eggs and cheese and buying groceries her father found it and got drunk. So the trip west to find nephew Joel was a welcome break. Until she got sick after eating food purchased at a train station. When she arrived in Medora, her destination, she was sick again. And then she learned the truth about Joel. And she made a big decision which changed her own life. Lauraine Snelling was scheduled to write three books in this series. But she had another story waiting to be told. This one about Amethyst is that story. A wonderful read!
Wick, Lori. Moonlight on the Millpond. #1 of the Tucker Mills Trilogy. Harvest House Publishers, 2005. Jace Randall moved to Tucker Mills to help Uncle Woody run the sawmill and farm. His sister Eden had predicted that Jace would charm many young women and marry soon after locating there. So he decided to prove her wrong. And then he met Maddie Shephard. She had grown up with Doyle and Cathy Shephard in Tucker Mills and had been living in Boston. When Cathy contacted her Maddie came back to help run the store while Doyle was taking a long rest for his heart. Jace started wanting to be with Maddie and share with her more all the time. How could he tell Eden to stay home and let him live his life his way?
Wick, Lori. Whispers of Moonlight. #2 Rocky Mountain Memories. Harvest House Publishers, 1996. Travis Buchanan found the Double Star Ranch as he traveled away from Texas and the memories of his recently buried mother. His intention was to get a job at the ranch for a short time and then move on. The owner, Andrew Wagner, was not well and was pleased to hire someone who really impressed him as being capable and dependable. This was especially true when his daughter entered his life. Rebecca grew up with her aunt and uncle in Philadelphia. When she discovered that Aunt Hannah had been deceptive, she took a train headed for the Double Star Ranch and a whole new life. Upon meeting her father she knew she was glad she had arrived in time to know him. But she had no way of anticipating what her life would hold in the years to come.
February 8, 2006
