S.T.A.G.S. is the New Secret Society YA Novel

The old adage warns us not to judge a book by its cover which is exactly the opposite of what I did with S.T.A.G.S. by M.A. Bennett. The cover grabbed me immediately, with it's chilling juxtaposition of high class decor and the gun scope marking. I was instantly intrigued.

The novel takes place in a fancy English boarding school where the cool kids, a.k.a. The Medievals,  shun technology and opt instead for a weekend of "Huntin' Shootin' Fishin'".  Without giving too much away, this book exceeded my expectations and brought new life into the thriller/suspense YA genre. Despite one gruesome scene, the book was a fast paced read that would find a place onto anyone who enjoys secret society type novels.

Southern Gothic Thriller Hits All the Right Marks

When I started reading the novel The Breathless by Tara Goedjen, I did not know it was geared to young adults. As a matter of fact, I didn't realize it was a YA novel at all until after I finished and I went online to read other people's opinions of the book. In no way am I suggesting that YA books are any less entertaining than other thrillers, but this one really blew me away. As a reader it pulled me right in and kept me at arm's length for the four days it took me to finish.

The book does center around teenagers which is probably why it lends itself well to the YA category but the story is so much more than your typical teenager thriller. Set in and around an old antebellum mansion, the story takes on a strong southern gothic feel immediately. So much so that you often find yourself as a reader forgetting that this book partially takes place in a time of iPhones, social media and selfies. It's haunting, romantic and full of secrets.

The novel works to unravel the mystery surrounding the death of Ro Cole while bringing up spells to raise the dead, shady family history and a few genuine scares tossed in for good measure.

This was an enjoyable book that I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a good page turning thriller.

Bad Doctor Makes for the Best Narrator in Summer House with Swimming Pool

If I were to judge this book by it's cover, I'd say it was the perfect summer beach read. I mean it's called Summer House with Swimming Pool (by Herman Koch), which doesn't get a whole lot more summer-sounding. However, my immediate reaction while reading this book was "wow, this narrator sounds a lot like that one friend we all have that is too honest about things". You know the person: they have no filter and say exactly what they are thinking at all times even when you find yourself cringing and wishing they would just be quiet already.

Summer House with Swimming Pool by Herman Koch

This novel centers around Marc Schlosser, a family doctor who gets himself into some trouble when a patient of his dies. That's the plot but really this book is about Marc the maybe not so reliable narrator and his disturbingly honest insight into all things. From his family life, to what he really thinks of his patients, this book is one big very dark comedy wrapped up inside a not-so-thrilling thriller.

Read this book if you like to analyze the characters in the novels you read. You are guaranteed to be thinking about Marc long after you finish.

Blogger note: I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review. This review is entirely based on my opinion and contains my honest evaluation.

The Martian is A Timely Tale of Thrills

If ever there was a novel that tied in to current events, The Martian by Andy Weir would be it. Don't believe me? Pause. Step away from this blog and head over to your news site of choice. Do a quick search in the science section and you'll find the story about the colonization of Mars. No longer is the subject a matter of fiction.

The story is compelling and touches a nerve of fear at the very core of the reader. Imagine a Mars exploration gone wrong. An astronaut, Mark Watney, presumed dead who turns out to be alive but left behind on Mars. Watney needs to plan his survival down to the most minute detail. From food to water, to oxygen and a way to contact Earth. His life depends solely on his ability to find ways to prolong his survival.

Andy Weir clearly did his research while writing this novel. All of the details, from NASA protocol to the environment of Mars, are well covered. And while science fiction may not be my genre of choice, this book certainly kept me interested and reading through to the end.

Blogger note: I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review. This review is entirely based on my opinion and contains my honest evaluation.

A Love Story Plus The History of Skyjacking Equals a FascinatinglyUn-put-down-able Read

As someone with a lifelong fear of flying, it always surprises people that I am fascinated by books, movies and documentaries about airplane hijacking. It's almost a question of "which came first?" the fear or was the fear a result of all the skyjacking media consumed at a slightly overdone rate?

In any case, The Skies Belong to Us: Love and Terror in the Golden Age of Hijacking by Brendan I. Koerner was a wild ride of a book. Half the book serves as a primer about the beginnings of airplane hijacking in the United States, circa early 1960s through the 1970s. A time when air travel had just become a viable option on par with trains and automobiles. A time when the word "lax" didn't quite pin the atmosphere of what the experience of traveling was like in domestic airports. The rampant freedom of anyone wandering anywhere in an airport, nobody asking you to remove your shoes and all metal objects from your person. This was absolutely fascinating to me, to imagine a time where there was no screening process to board a flight and the worst that could happen was that you happened to find yourself on a hijacked plane making a detour to Cuba. When all was said and done, no one was worse for the wear. Hijackings in the early days of air travel were such a frequent occurrences (with days when there was multiple hijackings happening simultaneously!). It baffled me to read how hijacking went from being an almost harmless crime (mild, legal prosecution, no harm to passengers/crew), to being the nightmare that it is today.

Koerner manages to intertwine the fascinating history of skyjacking along an even more fascinating recount of infamous hijacking couple, Roger Holder and Cathy Kerkow. Holder represented the most common and potentially dangerous kind of hijacker: one who was disillusioned by the government (in Holder's case, the military) and desires to become a man to right all the social injustices he perceives. His method of changing the world? Hijacking a domestic plane and taking refuge in Algiers. Unheard of in 1972, sadly a common fact of life in our post 9/11 world.

While the story of Holder and Kerkow was interesting, I found the historical context of the book much more enjoyable. A fast read that leaves you nostalgic for a time when air travel was innocent.

Blogger note: I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review. This review is entirely based on my opinion and contains my honest evaluation.

Photo Courtesy of: Random House

Until You're Mine: The Hand that Rocks the Cradle Meets Every SingleEpisode of Law & Order SVU

The job of a nanny is notoriously double-edged: she must be fully trustworthy yet at the same time manage to not blur the delicate line between parent and hired caregiver. In the novel, Until You're Mine by Samantha Hayes, mom-to-be Claudia searches out the perfect nanny to help around the home after her baby daughter arrives. As the wife of a Navy husband, Claudia spends the majority of her time flip-flopping between her career as a social worker and primary caregiver for the twin boys she's become defacto mother to following the death of their birth mother. Having had a history of stillbirths and miscarriages, she is in a fragile medical state that makes the assistance of a nanny even more useful. Enter Zoe, the seemingly perfect nanny-candidate. The twins love her and she has all the necessary qualifications, but she also has a secret. (Cue the mysterious music)

To make matters worse, there has been a serious of attacks on pregnant women and their unborn children in the area. Claudia's increasingly vulnerability make her suspicious of Zoe and that's when the story really takes off at roller-coaster speed.

A suspenseful novel with a twist that I never saw coming. Hayes did a good job of misdirecting the reader and it makes for a fun and entertaining psychological thriller. Pack this one in your beach bag!

courtesy of Random House