Genre Reviews

Matched by Ally Condie

noreply@blogger.com (Genre Reviewer) — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 18:57:00 +0000

Matched
by Ally Condie

ISBN-13: 978-0-525-42364-5
Hardcover: 388 pages
Publisher: Dutton Books
Released: 2010

Source: Borrowed from the library.

Book Description, Modified from Back Cover:
In the Society, Officials decide. Who you marry, where you work, when you die. It's based on the highest probabilities for a happy life.

And it is the perfect, fulfilling life...as long as you don't question it. Cassia has always trusted their choices. It's a small price to pay for a long life, the perfect job, the ideal mate. So when her best friend is named her Match, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is the one...until she sees another face flash across the screen, also designated as her Match. The Officials tell her it's a mistake, but Cassia knows and cares about both boys.

Both would be good Matches, and she knows it. But she's not allowed a choice, and that makes her question how the Society is run. She must chose between the path the Society has laid out for her--despite it's flaws--or follow her own path, unwilling to abandon the 1% for the happiness of the 99%.

My Review:
Matched is a young adult speculative fiction book set in the future. It's written in first person, present tense, though it's written well enough I quickly stopped noticing this. (I normally never fully get into a book written this way.) It's the first book in the series. I appreciate that it didn't end on a cliff-hanger, though it does leave you wanting to continue the story.

I liked that the kids were not in physical danger. It's a story about relationships and decisions: which decision is right, what are you willing to risk for the people you care for, and is happiness and a long life the ultimate goal of life? The suspense came from watching Cassia realize the flaws in Society and question if purely going by the numbers was the best way to make decisions. It's a journey of discovery about what's below the surface of Society as well as a story of how friends, family, and Cassia's two love interests show love for her and each other. I really liked how the main characters were motivated out of love for each other rather than selfish desires.

The world-building was excellent, and I lost myself in the story. The characters were engaging, complex, and made realistic decisions. Simply put, I really enjoyed this story.

There were no sex scenes. There was no bad language. Overall, I'd highly recommend this well-written book.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Amazon's Look Inside.

She Walks in Beauty by Siri Mitchell

noreply@blogger.com (Genre Reviewer) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 11:30:00 +0000

She Walks in Beauty
by Siri Mitchell

ISBN-13: 9780764204333
Trade Paperback: 398 pages
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Released: 2010

Source: Free Sony Store ebook.

Book Description from Publisher:
For a young society woman seeking a favorable marriage in the late 1890s, so much depends on her social season debut. Clara Carter has been given one goal: secure the affections of the city's most eligible bachelor. Debuting means plenty of work--there are corsets to be fitted, dances to master, manners to perfect.

Her training soon pays off, however, as celebrity's spotlight turns Clara into a society-page darling. Yet Clara wonders if this is the life she really wants, especially when she learns her best friend has also set her sights on Franklin De Vries. When a man appears who seems to love her simply for who she is, and gossip backlash turns ugly, Clara realizes it's not just her heart at stake--the future of her family depends on how she plays the game.

My Review:
She Walks in Beauty is a historical romance set in 1891 in New York City. The story was rich with historical detail, especially about the social season and fashions. The author focused on the extreme of tight-lacing corsets for waist-size reduction (and so readers might develop wrong ideas about their normal usage--corsets were the "bras" of the time).

The characters were engaging and acted realistically. I liked what Clara learned about romance. It wasn't a typical "oh, he makes my heart beat wildly! I must love him..." romance novel.

A point was made about Clara receiving an education in math and science instead of social graces and how she wanted to go college, so I was surprised that desire was never brought up again later. The suspense in the story was mainly seeing if Clara would make good choices despite the pressure she was under and if she'd end up with the man best suited to her.

After being convinced by her aunt that no one will like her unless she tortures herself to become the current notion of beautiful, Clara longs for someone to love her just as she is--too tall, big lips, and without a 18 inch waist. She remembers a hymn from church, "Just As I Am," and as the story progresses she comes to realize that God loves her just as she is.

There were no sex scenes. There was a very minor amount of "he cussed" style bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting and engaging novel.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

And the winner is...

noreply@blogger.com (Genre Reviewer) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 21:46:00 +0000

It's time to announce the winner of the Follower Love Giveaway. Including Twitter entries, we had 35 valid entries. Using a random number generator and numbering the entrants in the order I received them, the winner is:

Anne
who won To Have and To Kill

Congratulations! I'll be contacting you for your address.

For those who didn't win, you can always buy a copy of these books from your favorite bookstore or see if they have them at your local library.

When is Perfect Perfect Enough? by Nancy Rue

noreply@blogger.com (Genre Reviewer) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 21:01:00 +0000

When is Perfect Perfect Enough?
by Nancy Rue

ISBN-13: 9781578560882
Trade Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: WaterBrook Press
Released: June 15, 1999

Source: Bought from Half.com.

Book Description from Back Cover:
Quiet, studious Shannon D'Angelo has never made trouble before--and she's not about to start now! People have started to figure out that she's got a problem with anorexia, but she's certain she can handle the situation on her own. There's no point in worrying her parents; they have enough problems dealing with Caitlin, Shannon's troubled younger sister, who's been getting involved with everything from car accidents to house fires. How can Shannon's struggles even compare?

But Shannon quickly learns that there are some things she can't control, including her illness and, well, life. That means if she's ever going to get well, she's going to have to let go of her need to be perfect and allow herself to be loved and healed by the ones--and the One--who love her most of all.

My Review:
When is Perfect Perfect Enough is a young adult Christian novel. This book is the sixth in a series. This story appears to have began in book five (which I haven't read), but the things that have come before this regarding Shannon's anorexia and her sister's misbehavior are summarized at the beginning of this book. Certain events from books four and five regarding Ira are mildly spoiled in this one.

Of the four books in this series that I've read, the other three seemed to push events to extremes to increase the suspense. This one felt more realistic to me in terms of it being a situation the readers are more likely to encounter (in person or in a friend) and in how the characters reacted to the events. All of the characters were more rounded out and complex in how they dealt with problems, and we got to know them on a deeper basis. I liked that. I also liked how her friends were involved and how they learned how to help her.

The Christian element was mainly some God-talk ("we'll pray" and "God loves you"), and God was credited for helping Shannon make progress. There was some "he cussed" style bad language. There was no sex. Overall, I would recommend this book.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Excerpt from Chapter One
Before I go any further, I need to tell you about my sister. My younger sister Caitlin, not my older sister, Colleeen.

Colleen is three years older than I am, and about three light-years more mature. She always did everything way ahead of the age I did it--shaving her legs, wearing a bra, starting her period. Good grief, she even opened her own checking account at sixteen. She did that when she started to work in a music store so she could save up extra money for college. Turns out she received a partial scholarship to William and Mary, in Virgina. Colleen never did anything less than independently.

Now Caitlin, she never did anything less than infuriatingly. I mean it. From the time she could pull herself up to the coffee table, when I was three and she was a year old, she would look right at my mother and reach for the Lenox china candy dish. Mom or Dad would tell her no, but she would keep looking at them, keep reaching, and keep nodding her little dark curly head yes.

Do I Have To Paint You A Picture? by Nancy Rue

noreply@blogger.com (Genre Reviewer) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 20:22:00 +0000

Do I Have To Paint You A Picture?
by Nancy Rue

ISBN-13: 9781578560356
Trade Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: WaterBrook Press
Released: August 1, 1998

Source: Bought from Half.com.

Book Description, Modified from Back Cover:
Brianna and her mother moved from Oakland to Reno to escape racial tensions and to give Brianna a chance to concentrate on her art. But when Brianna's boyfriend Ira gets into a game of "chicken" with a group of white supremacists and is critically injured, Brianna is thrown back into the middle of the black/white violence.

This isn't Oakland, though. Now Brianna has the Flagpole Girls. With their help--and God's--will she be able to see her way through vandalism and death threats to find a more positive way of settling differences?

My Review:
Do I Have To Paint You A Picture? is a young adult Christian novel about a teenage black girl dealing with extreme racism. This book is the fourth in a series, but you don't need to read the previous books to understand this one, and this one doesn't spoil the previous books. I was a bit disappointed at how small a role the other flag pole girls had in this book, though.

I'm sure people with disagree with me, but I felt like this complex issue--racism--was dealt with in a way that almost promotes segregation...which is ironic considering what Brianna's big "a-hah!" moment was about. But Brianna was basically told that being black made her problems special and heritage powerful in a way that the white, Native American, and Hispanic girls would never be able to truly understand or connect with.

I was also confused by how the two main characters--Ira and Brianna--acted so out of character. We're told Ira would never do what he did, and initially no one believes he did it, and yet we're also not given a compelling reason why he acted so out of character without first trying to solve the problem with more "in-character" efforts. Brianna was very "I'll handle this myself!" at the beginning, but then she immediately runs to Ira--whose plan didn't work!--to tell her how to handle things.

I liked how Brianna was able to see certain of the "enemy" as people with hopes and hurts even if their attitudes were wrong. However, I didn't really like how the book ended with her still thinking of certain people using superiority-based negative descriptive words. She's got a lot of prejudice (not race based) of her own to work on.

The Christian element seemed to mainly be some God-talk ("we'll pray" and "God's timing"), and Brianna not asking God for help until the end when she makes a painting "into a prayer." There was some "he cussed" style bad language. There was no sex.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Excerpt from Chapter One
It should have been one of the best days in my whole eighteen-year-old life. But the minute Ira and I walked into the Jack-in-the-Box for the celebration, Dillon Wassen came up behind me and said, "You better start watchin' your back, you..."

Then, of course, he added the usual expletive people like him have to throw in when they're talking to people like me. Black people. African-Americans. People they think ought to be wiped off the face of the earth, and the sooner the better.

I wanted to turn around and chew him up one side and down the other so bad. Three things stopped me. One, I was pretty much walking on air, and I wasn't ready to come down yet. Two, the Flagpole Girls were about to show up. And three, my man, my Ira Quao, was with me.

"Ignore him," Ira whispered to me.

Follower Love Giveaway Hop

noreply@blogger.com (Genre Reviewer) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 23:04:00 +0000

As a part of the Follower Love Giveaway Hop, I'm holding a giveaway for your choice of one of the following books:

To Have and to Kill by Mary Jane Clark is a fast-paced cozy mystery. You can read my review here.

A struggling actress with no immediate prospects, Piper moves back home with her parents in New Jersey and steps tentatively into the family bakery business. Soon, she’s creating a wedding cake for a friend, the star of a daytime television drama. But the bride is getting cruel, anonymous notes warning her that her fiance is a rat. When the bride’s co-star is poisoned from a glass of water meant for her, everyone assumes the bride was the true target. But when others end up stabbed or strangled, no one's sure who might be next.

My Hands Came Away Red by Lisa McKay is a Christian suspense/general fiction novel. You can read my review here.

Cori signs up for a mission trip to Indonesia during the summer after her senior year of high school. Six weeks into the trip, a conflict that has been simmering for years flames to deadly life on the nearby island of Ambon. Cori and her teammates find themselves caught up in the destructive wave of violence washing over the Christian and Muslim villages in the area. Within days the church they helped build is a smoldering pile of ashes, its pastor and many of the villagers are dead, and the six teenagers are forced to flee into the hazardous refuge of the jungle with only the pastor's son to guide them.

This contest is for USA & Canada residents only.

To enter the giveaway:

1) you can twitter me saying "Hi @genrereviewer. Enter me in the giveaway for [give the book name and author's name]."

OR

2) You can leave a comment to this post asking to be entered and naming which book you'd like to win. Please also leave some way for me to contact you--or follow this blog so you can see the winner announcement. I'd be fun if you also included why you're interested in reading this novel.

This giveaway ends on February 14, 2012 at midnight. The winner will be randomly selected. I'll announce the winner on February 15, 2012 on this blog.

If you entered using twitter, I'll send you a @ or DM telling you of your win and asking where to send the book. If you entered using the blog comments, you'll need to leave your e-mail address or check back to see if you won so you can e-mail me your mailing address. If the winner hasn't responded with a mailing address within four days, I reserve the right to pick a new winner.

I hope everyone has fun with this!

The blogs participating in the Follower Love Giveaway Hop:

A Slow Burn by Mary E. DeMuth

noreply@blogger.com (Genre Reviewer) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 11:28:00 +0000

A Slow Burn
by Mary E. DeMuth

ISBN-13: 9780310278375
Trade Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Zondervan
Released: October 1, 2009

Source: Bought through Half.com.

Book Description from Christianbook.com:
Burying her grief, Emory Chance is determined to find her daughter Daisy's murderer-a man she saw in a flicker of a vision. But when the investigation hits every dead end, her despair escalates. Not even the kindness of her persistent suitor Hixon can soften her heart towards the community of friends that long for her healing. And as the questions surrounding Daisy continue to mount, and Emory's safety is shattered by the tattooed man's dark pursuit, she can't shake the sickening fear that her own choices contributed to Daisy's disappearance. Will she ever experience the peace her heart longs for?

My Review:
A Slow Burn is a Christian historical novel set in 1977 in Texas. This is the second novel in the series. You can understand and enjoy the story even if you haven't read the first novel, but I got the feeling the story would have had even more depth (and there was plenty already) if I'd read the first book before this one.

This was one of those stories that drew me in and came vividly to life in my imagination, but I think it had more to do with a few, select setting details combined with vividly drawn characters. You truly got to know Emory and Hixon's deepest thoughts, hurts, and fears--nothing held back. The characters were realistic in their reactions to the events and in their coping mechanisms.

The low-level suspense came from the mysterious break-ins at Emory's house and people's worries that the murderer might strike again. When the story ends, we still don't know the name of whodunit, but Emory has finally admitted the truth about herself to herself and started down her road of healing. It's a long, hard, and painful road for her to get to that point, and I suspect it's not going to be an easy road for her from this point on, either.

There was a Christian element--God is clearly involved in these character's lives and is pursuing a closer relationship with them. It didn't come across as one character preaching to another, though--it's more people loving each other like Christ loves us. There was a minor amount of "he swore" style and fake bad language. Emory did use drugs. There were no sex scenes. Overall, I'd highly recommend this book.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

The Look of Love by Mary Jane Clark

noreply@blogger.com (Genre Reviewer) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 11:34:00 +0000

The Look of Love
by Mary Jane Clark

ISBN-13: 9780061995569
Hardcover: 340 pages
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Released: January 17, 2012

Source: Review copy from the publisher.

Book Description from the Cover:
Piper Donovan accepts when the owner of Elysium, an exclusive spa and plastic surgery center, offers her an all-expenses-paid trip to Los Angeles to create a dazzling and unique wedding cake.

The ultra-luxurious spa caters to the rich and famous in need of a little “refreshing”—a nip here, a tuck there, a little Botox, a little detox. Nestled in the Hollywood Hills, Elysium seems picture-perfect: the grounds, the staff, even the guests. But no sooner does Piper arrive than a guest is brutally murdered in one of the private bungalows. Someone, it seems, wants to make sure Elysium’s beautiful director, Jillian Abernathy, never gets to walk down the aisle. Piper soon discovers that beneath the glamorous surface of this idyllic oasis lies an ugly truth—and a cold-blooded plan for murder.

My Review:
The Look of Love is a very fast-paced mystery/suspense novel. This book is the second in the series. You don't need to read the first book to understand this one, and this one didn't spoil the whodunit of the first mystery. However, the under-developed romance of the first book was even sketchier in this novel. If the second novel was all you had to go on, then the guy didn't even come across as desirable.

Like the first novel, Piper is curious about who is murdering people, but she doesn't snoop around to find out who the murderer is. She is briefly involved in trying to expose a staff member who is molesting female guests, but she's mainly focused on making the cake and getting an acting job. Piper was one of a number of main characters, and the story frequently switched between the different point-of-view characters.

The author provided plenty of people with a motive and opportunity for the murder. You could guess from the clues, but I felt that whodunit's "normal" thoughts didn't fit with some of the "in the killer's head" thoughts we're given. The first novel proves that the author could have had the two "thought" sets line up and still not give away whodunit.

The details about cake decoration, the resort, the nunnery, and the acting business were interesting. The suspense was created by the physical danger to the characters.

I found Piper engaging and enjoyable to read about, but most of the characters came across rather simplistically: the angry father, the snoopy reporter, and so on, so some parts of the ending (where several characters suddenly change how they've been behaving) seemed abrupt.

One of the characters was a nun, so the Catholic faith is portrayed though I wouldn't call this a "religious" novel. However, the novel did tend to drop tidbits of advice about true beauty and being satisfied with how you look. There was a minor amount of explicit bad language. There was no sex. Overall, I enjoyed this novel (though I liked the first one better), and I'd recommend it.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Excerpt: Read and excerpt using Google Preview.

To Have and to Kill by Mary Jane Clark

noreply@blogger.com (Genre Reviewer) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 21:40:00 +0000

To Have and to Kill
by Mary Jane Clark

ISBN-13: 9780061995552
Mass Market Paperback: 370 pages
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Released: October 25th 2011

Source: Review copy from the publisher.

Book Description, Modified from Back Cover:
Piper Donovan never imagined decorating wedding cakes could be so dangerous!

A struggling actress with no immediate prospects and a recently broken engagement, Piper needs to take stock of her life—so she moves back home with her parents in New Jersey and steps tentatively into the family bakery business. Soon, she’s creating a wedding cake for a friend, the star of a daytime television drama. But the bride is getting cruel, anonymous notes warning her that her fiance is a rat.

When the bride’s co-star is poisoned from a glass of water meant for her, everyone assumes the bride was the true target. But when others end up stabbed or strangled, no one's sure who might be next.

My Review:
To Have and to Kill is a very fast-paced cozy mystery--yet it's not a typical cozy. Piper is curious about who is causing the murders, but she never directly tried to snoop around and find out who did it. She left that to the police. Yet she's still in the middle of everything that's going on due to her job. I liked how, just by being herself, she thwarted the murderer's plans twice.

I also liked how she didn't stupidly go into a dangerous situation (like some cozy heroines do), and she didn't need rescuing when she found herself in a dangerous situation. As for whodunit, the author provided plenty of people with a motive and opportunity. You could guess from the clues, and I did guess before the "big reveal." I was a bit surprised to read a review saying they guessed whodunit from the start, though. I'd agree more with the reviewer who said she'd dismissed whodunit because whodunit's motive didn't seem powerful enough for murder.

I found Piper, her parents, and her actress friend engaging and enjoyable to read about. The other characters were very sketchy. Her love interest, the FBI agent, didn't do much and the romance angle wasn't really developed. The details about cake decoration and the acting business were interesting. The suspense was created by the physical danger to the characters and from wondering whodunit.

There was a minor amount of explicit bad language. There was no sex. Overall, I'd recommend this fast-paced, upbeat mystery.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Excerpt: Read and excerpt using Google Preview.

My Hands Came Away Red by Lisa McKay

noreply@blogger.com (Genre Reviewer) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 11:27:00 +0000

My Hands Came Away Red
by Lisa McKay

ISBN-13: 9780802489821
Trade Paperback: 391 pages
Publisher: Moody Publishers
Released: Sept. 2007

Source: Bought through Half.com.

Book Description from Goodreads:
Cori signs up for a mission trip to Indonesia during the summer after her senior year of high school. Inspired by happy visions of building churches and seeing beautiful beaches, she gladly escapes her complicated love life back home.

Six weeks into the trip, a conflict that has been simmering for years flames to deadly life on the nearby island of Ambon. Before they can leave, Cori and her teammates find themselves caught up in the destructive wave of violence washing over the Christian and Muslim villages in the area. Within days the church they helped build is a smoldering pile of ashes, its pastor and many of the villagers are dead, and the six teenagers are forced to flee into the hazardous refuge of the jungle with only the pastor's son to guide them.

My Review:
My Hands Came Away Red is a very well-written Christian suspense/general fiction novel. The details were so vivid and rich that I was immersed in the story, and I'm still half-convinced these events really did happen. The characters were vividly real, complex, and acted in very realistic (and varied) ways to the situations they faced.

The high level of suspense was mainly from the physical danger they were in but also from relationship tensions. The main characters were Christian teens, and their faith and understanding was typical of teens (and many adults). They struggled realistically with their view of God after seeing the horrors and experiencing the hardship they faced.

There was no sex. There was a minor amount of "he cussed" style bad language and one instance of fake bad language. The story was not gory. I'd highly recommend this novel. I had hoped the author had written more novels that I could buy and read, but--to my sorrow--so far she hasn't.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

The Jerk Magnet by Melody Carlson

noreply@blogger.com (Genre Reviewer) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 22:52:00 +0000

The Jerk Magnet
by Melody Carlson

ISBN-13: 9780800719623
Trade Paperback: 217 pages
Publisher: Revell
Released: January 1, 2012

Source: Review copy from the publisher.

Book Description from Back Cover:
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?

My Review:
The Jerk Magnet is a young adult Christian general fiction novel. Chelsea was complex and Janelle was engaging, but we only got to know a few characters very well. To me, it seemed like the story moved too fast to really make the desired impact.

Perhaps because the story was so short, the focus was almost solely on how boys (and girls) were reacting to Chelsea's appearance. The story didn't really talk about the other struggles of going to a new school or deal with the changes that having a step-mother would bring. So instead of being a story where a girl going through a lot of changes happens to attract jerks and decides that the new way she dresses and acts has something to do with it, it seemed like a story designed to teach girls that dressing and acting in a certain way will attract the wrong sort of guys. The story was still fun, though, and I liked how Chelsea became comfortable with who she was by the end.

There wasn't much of a Christian element beyond the prerequisite "comes to Christ" scene (which we're told about more than are shown) and the lesson at camp that God cares more about the inside of a person than their appearances, so Christians should care more about that, too. There was no sex and no bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this book to Christian teens since it does explore an issue they struggle with and it was an enjoyable story.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Murder on the Links by Agatha Christie

noreply@blogger.com (Genre Reviewer) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 11:34:00 +0000

Murder on the Links
by Agatha Christie

ISBN-13: 9780553350371
Hardcover: 224 pages
Publisher: Bantam Books
Released: 1923, 1985

Source: Borrowed from my local library.

Book Description from Amazon:
An urgent cry for help brings Hercule Poirot to France. But he arrives too late to save his client, whose brutally stabbed body now lies facedown in a shallow grave on a golf course.

But why is the dead man wearing an overcoat that is too big for him? And for whom was the impassioned love letter in the pocket? Before Poirot can answer these questions, the case is turned upside down by the discovery of a second, identically murdered corpse.…

My Review:
Murder on the Links is a historical mystery featuring Hercule Poirot. Though written as a contemporary mystery, it's now a historical. Still, it contains enough detail that the historical references can be understood.

The mystery was clever and complex, but whodunit could be guessed from the clues. In fact, the critical evidence was repeated several times--the hard part was making sense of what the clues meant. It was fun that Poirot was competing against a Sherlock-Holmes-type local detective, and suspense was added when even Hastings made Poirot's life difficult near the end.

The characters were varied, interesting, and acted in realistic ways. Hastings seemed particularly stupid in this novel, but I think it's supposed to be one of the early Poirot novels so he hadn't had time to pick up how Poirot thinks yet. Hastings' tenancy to fall in love at first sight also came across as a silly to me, but I guess he is supposed to be fairly young in this novel.

There were no sex scenes. There was a minor amount of explicit bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this mystery.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

And the winner is...

noreply@blogger.com (Genre Reviewer) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 21:57:00 +0000

It's time to announce the winner of the Dreaming of Books Giveaway Hop. Including Twitter entries, we had 54 entries. Using a random number generator and numbering the entrants in the order I received them, the winner is:

Sophia Rose
who won A Play of Heresy

Congratulations! I'll be contacting you for your address.

For those who didn't win, you can always buy a copy of these books from your favorite bookstore or see if they have them at your local library.

Tristan's Gap by Nancy Rue

noreply@blogger.com (Genre Reviewer) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 22:56:00 +0000

Tristan's Gap
by Nancy Rue

ISBN: 1-4000-7034-1
Trade Paperback: 360 pages
Publisher: WaterBrook Press
Released: 2006

Source: Bought through Half.com.

Book Description from Back Cover (slightly modified):
For eighteen years Serena Soltanis has poured herself into her family, making every effort to please her husband and to protect her daughters from the evils of the world.

Then the unthinkable happens. Sixteen-year-old Tristan, the quiet “good girl” of the family, disappears–and the search to find her brings to light unpleasant truths that prompt Serena to question nearly everything she believes about her children, her marriage, and her faith.

Brokenhearted and drifting apart from her husband, Serena struggles to see God’s hand of grace in their lives. She's determined to find Tristan and rescue her from whatever trouble she’s in. In the process, she sees clearly her own failings as a mother and how God can bridge the gap between what she has to give and what her family needs.

My Review:
Tristan's Gap is a Christian general fiction book. While the book was from a woman's point of view, the issues were mainly about parenting in general, so men might enjoy it as well.

The characters were varied, acted in realistic ways, and dealt with realistic issues. The suspense was created by relationship tensions, not knowing what happened to Tristan and some instances where Serena was in physical danger. The unique setting details brought the story alive in my imagination.

I did wonder why the detective didn't just check the phone records to see where the phone call came from. It would have cut several months off the search. However, it's a minor point.

The Christian element was woven into the story and flowed as a natural part of the story. There were some short conversations about God, but they didn't give "easy answers" to Serena's questions and didn't come across as sermons to the reader.

There were no sex scenes. There was a minor amount of fake bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this book.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Dreaming of Books Giveaway Hop

noreply@blogger.com (Genre Reviewer) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 21:46:00 +0000

As a part of the Dreaming of Books Giveaway Hop, I'm holding a giveaway for your choice of one of the following books:

A Play of Heresy by Margaret Frazer is a historical mystery. You can read my review here.

In the early summer of 1438, Joliffe and his fellow players have arrived in Coventry for the theatrical and religious festival of Corpus Christi. Employed by several of the city's rich and powerful merchant guilds, they plan to present two of the many plays extravagantly depicting all of God's story with pomp and pageantry. When the merchant Master Kydwa goes missing, Joliffe uses his skills as a spy to uncover what's going on.

Shadow of Colossus by T.L. Higley is a Christian historical set in 227 B.C. in Rhodes. You can read my review here.

In the ten years that Tessa of Delos has been in bondage as a hetaeira, a high-priced Greek courtesan to a wealthy politician, she has learned to abandon all desire for freedom and love. But when her owner meets a violent death, Tessa is given the chance to be free—if she can hide the truth of his death and maintain a masquerade until escape is possible. Now Tessa must battle for her own freedom and for those she is beginning to love, as forces collide that will shatter the island’s peace and bring even its mighty Colossus to its knees.

This contest is for USA & Canada residents only.

To enter the giveaway:

1) you can twitter me saying "Hi @genrereviewer. Enter me in the giveaway for [give the book name and author's name]."

OR

2) You can leave a comment to this post asking to be entered and naming which book you'd like to win. Please also leave some way for me to contact you--or follow this blog so you can see the winner announcement. I'd be fun if you also included why you're interested in reading this novel.

This giveaway ends on January 18, 2012 at midnight. The winner will be randomly selected. I'll announce the winner on January 19, 2012 on this blog.

If you entered using twitter, I'll send you a @ or DM telling you of your win and asking where to send the book. If you entered using the blog comments, you'll need to leave your e-mail address or check back to see if you won so you can e-mail me your mailing address. If the winner hasn't responded with a mailing address within four days, I reserve the right to pick a new winner.

I hope everyone has fun with this!

The blogs participating in the Dreaming of Books Giveaway Hop:

Shadow of Colossus by T.L. Higley

noreply@blogger.com (Genre Reviewer) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 21:17:00 +0000

Shadow of Colossus
by T.L. Higley

ISBN-13: 9780805447309
Trade Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: B&H Books
Released: August 1, 2008

Source: Bought from Books-A-Million.

Book Description from Back Cover:
The place is the island of Rhodes; the time, 227 BC. In the ten years that Tessa of Delos has been in bondage as a hetaeira, a high-priced Greek courtesan to a wealthy politician, she has learned to abandon all desire for freedom and love. But when her owner meets a violent death, Tessa is given the chance to be free—if she can hide the truth of his death and maintain a masquerade until escape is possible.

Now Tessa must battle for her own freedom and for those she is beginning to love, as forces collide that will shatter the island’s peace and bring even its mighty Colossus to its knees.

My Review:
Shadow of Colossus is a fast-paced Christian historical novel that contains some romance. It's set in 227 B.C. in Rhodes. The story was rich with setting, cultural, and historical details that brought the ancient world alive without slowing the pacing. The suspense was high throughout and was created mainly by the physical danger to the characters.

The characters were complex, realistic, and engaging. I cared about what happened to them. It was a wonderful book, but I did have a hard time believing that their secret wasn't quickly found out considering the haphazard way they initially handled keeping it hidden.

One of the characters was a Jew who looked forward to (and understood) a Redeemer-Messiah. He explained his beliefs as two Greek characters shared a Passover meal with his Jewish family. I wondered about very devote Jews freely using God's personal name (YAHWEH) in conversation. I was under the impression that even in 227 B.C. that Jews wouldn't generally speak the personal name of God out of respect.

There were no sex scenes. There was a minor amount of "he cursed" style of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this well-written novel.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

2012 Short Story Reading Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (Genre Reviewer) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 20:01:00 +0000

Since I've already read 2 short stories collections this year, I signed up for the 2012 Short Story Reading Challenge hosted by Library of Clean Reads. I'm entering at the "Tell me a Story" challenge level of 1 to 3 books:

1. Miss Marple: The Complete Short Stories by Agatha Christie
2. A Knot in the Grain and other stories by Robin McKinley
3. Forever Rumpole by John Mortimer

Number 3 probably doesn't really count since I read some of it in 2011 and posted my review on Dec. 25, 2011, but I might read more of it. We'll see if I come across any more short story collections this year.

A Knot in the Grain and other stories by Robin McKinley

noreply@blogger.com (Genre Reviewer) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 21:17:00 +0000

A Knot in the Grain and other stories
by Robin McKinley

ISBN-13: 9780064406048
Trade Paperback: 192 pages
Publisher: Harper Trophy
Released: May 1994

Source: Bought from Amazon some years ago.

Book Description from Goodreads:
A mute healer who meets the one man who can hear her thoughts, an abandoned princess who discovers the truth behind the mysterious stagman, a modern girl who finds the knot in the grain which leads her on a magical mission--these are a few of the characters in these five tales.

My Review:
A Knot in the Grain is a short story collection of Middle Grade fantasy stories. I enjoyed Robin McKinley's novels set in Damar (The Blue Sword and The Hero and the Crown) so I bought this book hoping to learn more about Damar. Two of the stories were set in Damar, but you won't know it from any other generic fantasy world if Luthe (a character from the novels) didn't briefly appear in them. We don't learn anything new about him, either.

Most of the stories follow the plot line of: a character has a problem, magic help comes along, the problem is fixed. The heroine generally doesn't have a difficult obstacle to overcome so much as a decision to make.

I felt like needed information was missing in some of the stories. The heroine in "The Stagman" was very passive, and the characters' weren't developed (or their motives really explained). "The Healer" was interesting and had a developed setting and characters, but I felt like too many things were left unresolved at the end. I've never really understood the magic part of "The Knot in the Grain."

"Buttercups" started well, but the conflict resolved too quickly and easily. "Touk's House" was the best written of the five: it had some conflict as well as good setting and character development. And it resolved everything at the end.

There was a minor amount of explicit bad language. There were no sex scenes. Overall, the stories were a mixed bag. Robin McKinley's fans might enjoy reading these stories, but I wouldn't recommend buying the book.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Miss Marple: The Complete Short Stories by Agatha Christie

noreply@blogger.com (Genre Reviewer) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 00:04:00 +0000

Miss Marple:
The Complete Short Stories
by Agatha Christie

ISBN: 0-399-150129-9
Hardcover: 346 pages
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons
Released: 1985

Source: Borrowed from the local library.

Book Description from Back Cover:
Presented for the first time in one volume are all twenty of the short stories featuring Miss Jane Marple, that delightful spinster whose innocent blue eyes belie her shrewd insights.

My Review:
Miss Marple: The Complete Short Stories is a collection of twenty short mysteries featuring Miss Marple. Though written as contemporary mysteries, they are now historical mysteries. A few of the stories mentioned a historical (or British) thing where I couldn't figure out what meant. Perhaps this was because they were short stories or because some of them were early in her career. I've never had this problem with Agatha Christie's novels.

The mysteries were clever, and they could be solved. I was a little disappointed that the title of one of the short stories gave away the whodunit. Overall, I'd recommend this book to "puzzle mystery" lovers, especially to Miss Marple fans.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Table of Contents:
From The Tuesday Club Murders:
The Tuesday Night Club
The Idol House of Astarte
Ingots of Gold
The Bloodstained Pavement
Motive v. Opportunity
The Thumbmark of St. Peter
The Blue Geranium
The Companion
The Four Suspects
A Christmas Tragedy
The Herb of Death
The Affair at the Bungalow
Death by Drowning

From The Regatta Mystery:
Miss Marple Tells a Story

From Three Blind Mice:
Strange Jest
The Case of the Perfect Maid
The Case of the Caretaker
Tape-Measure Murder

From Double Sin:
Greenshaw's Folly
Sanctuary

Re-read: A Posse of Princesses by Sherwood Smith

noreply@blogger.com (Genre Reviewer) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 23:10:00 +0000

Due to certain stresses in my life, I wanted to re-read a book I knew I'd enjoy. I just finished re-reading the below book and enjoyed it as much as I did the first time.

A Posse of Princesses
by Sherwood Smith

Trade Paperback: 299 pages
Publisher: Norilana Books
First Released: 2008

Author Website

Source: Bought from Books-A-Million

Back Cover Blurb:
Rhis, princess of a small kingdom, is invited along with all the other princesses in her part of the world to the coming of age party of the Crown Prince of Vesarja, which is the central and most important kingdom. When Iardith, the prettiest and most perfect of all the princesses, is abducted, Rhis and her friends go to the rescue.

What happens to Rhis and her posse has unexpected results not only for the princesses, but for the princes who chase after them. Everyone learns a lot about friendship and hate, politics and laughter, romantic ballads and sleeping in the dirt with nothing but a sword for company. But most of all they learn about the many meanings of love.

Review:
This is a young adult fantasy "battle of court manners" novel. If you liked Sherwood Smith's Crown Duel book, then you'll likely enjoy this book. I certainly did.

The world-building and pacing were very good. The characters were engaging and realistically varied. The characters learned a lot of good lessons about making friends, why bullies can be mean, and so on, but the lessons don't come across as lectures. There was romance in the book, but no sex. Overall, it was a "good, clean fun" novel.

Excerpt: Chapter One
From the tower lookout in the royal castle--highest tower in all the kingdom of Nym--Princess Rhis peered down through the misting rain at a messenger on the road.

This rider slumped in the saddle of a long-legged lowlands race-horse that was now plodding up the steep road, occasionally hidden by tall stands of deep green fir. The messenger had to be from the lowlands. Anyone raised in Nym's mountains knew that the only animal for the steep roads was a pony. Their sturdy bodies and short legs fared better on steep slopes. The rider's cloak was crimson, a bright splash of color even in the gloom of a rainy afternoon. None of Nym's royal messengers wore crimson cloaks. This one must be an equerry from the Queen of faraway Vesarja, she thought, and turned away from the window to resume pacing around the little room.

Once, many years ago, the old tower had been a lookout for Nym's warriors, no longer necessary since the kingdom had established magical protection. Now the small, stone tower room had become Rhis's private retreat.

The Man in the Brown Suit by Agatha Christie

noreply@blogger.com (Genre Reviewer) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 13:30:00 +0000

The Man in the Brown Suit
by Agatha Christie

ISBN: 0-553-35077-3
Hardcover: 242 pages
Publisher: A Bantam Book
Released: 1924, 1988

Source: Bought through Half.com.

Book Description, my take:
Anne Beddingfeld longs for adventure, like the heroines in her favorite novels. When a stranger falls to his death, she realizes that the man who says he's a doctor is actually riffling through the dead man's pockets...and, as he hurries away, he accidentally drops a cryptic note. The death is ruled an accident, but Anne decides to investigate in hopes of finding her adventure.

The note indicates that something is going to happen on a certain cruise ship that is sailing to South Africa, so she buys a ticket and joins the cruise. Her sea-sickness doesn't suit her idea of a heroine, and she decides being tied up is rather uncomfortable, but she gets more adventure--and suspects--than she bargained for.

My Review:
The Man in the Brown Suit is a historical mystery. It pokes fun at the heroine adventure stories of the time and is meant to be funny, though not overly so.

The story was written as a contemporary mystery, so it's not heavy on the historical detail though there's enough detail to visualize and understand what's going on. The characters were varied and engaging. The suspense was mainly created by wondering whodunit since the heroine never seemed overly concerned even when she was facing physical danger.

The mystery was interesting. Whodunit was guessable--we're given a vital clue at the end, very near to the big reveal. However, the clue wasn't obvious and I suspect few people catch that clue.

There were no sex scenes. There was a minor amount of explicit bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this engaging, entertaining mystery.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Forever Rumpole by John Mortimer

noreply@blogger.com (Genre Reviewer) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 03:06:00 +0000

Forever Rumpole:
The Best of the Rumpole Stories
by John Mortimer

ISBN-13: 9780670023066
Hardcover: 526 pages
Publisher: Penguin Group USA, Inc
Released: November 10, 2011

Source: Unrequested review copy from the publisher.

Book Description, modified from the Cover:
While still a practicing barrister, Mortimer took up the pen and wrote stories featuring the cigar-chomping, cheap-wine-tippling Rumpole and his wife, Hilda (aka "She Who Must Be Obeyed"). Forever Rumpole brings together fourteen of Rumpole's most entertaining adventures, together with a fragment of a new story.

My Review:
Forever Rumpole is described as a mystery, but it's more a court drama or literary fiction. This book is a collection of short stories that feature Rumpole as their main character.

In the Author's Introduction, he writes, "I wanted a sort of detective, who could be the hero of a number of stories but whose personality and approach to life were more important than the crimes with which he was concerned." This describes the stories well. Rumpole's life and opinions were more the focus of the stories than his figuring out how to win his cases. While the other characters viewed him as comical, he seemed a sad sort of person to me. He wins his cases, but he losses at life.

Apparently, Rumpole is a famous character, though I've never heard of him. While the stories were well-written, I wasn't that interested in the stories because the "bad guy" wasn't brought to justice, innocence wasn't saved, and our hero wasn't even happy with the outcomes. But if you like more realistic, life-focused crime fiction, you might enjoy these stories.

I didn't read all of the short stories, but in the stories I read, there was no sex and only a minor amount of explicit bad language.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

The Rose and the Ring by M.A. Titmarsh

noreply@blogger.com (Genre Reviewer) — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 18:15:00 +0000

The Rose and the Ring
by M.A. Titmarsh

Hardcover: 212 pages
Publisher: MacMillan Company
Released: 1923

Source: Inherited from my grandmother.

Book Description, my take:
Fairy Blackstick decides that giving the normal fairy-tale fairy gifts doesn't really benefit the one it's given to or their kingdom, so she decides to give the babies of two neighboring kingdoms the gift of a little misfortune. Both reigning families are deposed: the princess goes missing and is thought dead (though she isn't) while the prince is kept on the sidelines by his usurping uncle. When the prince and princess of the usurping kings meet, thanks to a magic rose and a magic ring, they look very beautiful and clever to each other--as long as they have the rose and ring. Silliness happens on the way to the rightful prince and princess learning to be good people, regaining their kingdoms, and marrying.

My Review:
The Rose and the Ring is a fairy tale that pokes fun at fairy tales. It was written for children, but adults will also enjoy it. It's written in the style of someone explaining a pantomime (with black-and-white drawn pictures replacing the actors in the book). It's a funny story, and the whole thing is meant to be on the ridiculous side. There is no bad language and no sex.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

FREE EBOOK: You can read the whole book here.

Traitors by Andrew Snaden

noreply@blogger.com (Genre Reviewer) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 01:55:00 +0000

Traitors
by Andrew Snaden

ISBN-13: 9781593101459
Trade Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Barbour Publishing
Released: November 1, 2004

Source: Bought in a local library book sale.

Book Description from Back Cover:
FBI Agent Sam Perkins and his partner, Ali Marcoli, are putting their lives on the line to crack a dangerous drug and human smuggling cartel--one involving both the Russian and Chinese mafias. The stakes increase when a sniper shoots a key witness--and Perkins believes an FBI leak is the reason.

In a complicated cat-and-mouse game connecting terrorists and criminals on three continents, Perkins and retired CIA agent Jonathan Corrigan work to piece together the truth. And both are praying for results before the unimaginable becomes reality.

My Review:
Traitors is a Christian suspense novel. It appears to be the second novel in a series, though enough background information is provided in this one that you don't need to read the first one. However, this novel does spoil the suspense elements of the first one.

The story had two unrelated suspense stories occurring that briefly cross (though are not directly connected) at the end. One of these stories was wrapped up in the end, but the other turned out to be a very long prelude for the next book in the series--one which still hasn't been written, so probably won't be. On the last page, I turned the page seriously expecting another chapter--but there wasn't one.

The action was non-stop, and the suspense was high throughout. The suspense was created mainly by the physical danger to various witnesses critical to making a case against the crime lord they wanted to stop. The characters were varied and interesting, though I didn't feel like I really got to know any of them very well.

There was a Christian element--various Christian characters prayed ("he prayed") and there was an occasional mention of God (as in, "why would God allow this?" and the sufferer's answer). The Christian elements seemed to flow as a natural action of the characters and didn't come across as preachy.

There were no sex scenes or bad language. Overall, the book was suspenseful and a page-turner, but I'm not sure I'd recommend it since the book ends with one plot unresolved and apparently no sequel to wrap it up.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Excerpt from Chapter One
Thursday, July 4

Yuri Davidov peered at his cards through a cloud of cigarette smoke. Queens full of aces--a full house. He looked over his cards at Tony Heng, a skinny Asian gangster whose uncanny string of luck had just run out. Yuri tossed a packet of money to the center of the table. "That's your thousand plus two. Want to count it?"

One of Heng's bodyguards reached for the money, but Tony waved him off.

"I trust you, my Russian friend. After all, according to my uncle we're business partners now, aren't we?" Heng's thin lips spread into a toothy grin.

Davidov narrowed his eyes. "So I've been told."

Heng touched his chin and pondered the cash in the center of the table. "Such a large bet. Perhaps I should fold?"

"I'd expect as much from you."

Heng grinned. "Ah, a taunt. Is it because you have a strong hand or because you're bluffing? Russians like to bluff, don't they?"

Tahn by L.A. Kelly

noreply@blogger.com (Genre Reviewer) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 18:36:00 +0000

Tahn
by L.A. Kelly

ISBN-13: 9780800759995
Trade Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Revell
Released: January 1, 2005

Source: Bought through Half.com.

Book Description from Back Cover:
Tahn Dorn is trapped in the middle of a looming conflict between two noble families. Trained in his youth to be a mercenary but troubled by the deeds of his past, Tahn must now choose between the commanders of a master and the urgings of his own good conscience. When his latest orders instruct him to kidnap Lady Netta of the House of Trillet, Tahn realizes that following his conscience won't be easy, especially with the lives of his young students at stake.

As Tahn's struggle continues, neither he nor Lady Netta can foretell the series of events that will unfold and change both their lives forever. Wrestling to understand Netta's God, Tahn is filled with doubt, and Netta herself wonders how such a man is willing to risk his life for a ragtag band of little children.

My Review:
Tahn is Christian fiction. I was thinking of calling it a fantasy, but it's more historical (European medieval). Though the country doesn't really exist, the story had things like Christian priests rather than magic, fantasy races, or other traditional fantasy elements. The setting detail brought the story alive in my imagination, but that detail was more generic medieval than a specific time period.

The characters were complex and acted in realistic ways. I found all of the characters interesting and engaging. The story pulled me in, and I didn't want to stop reading to do other things. The suspense was created mainly by physical danger and wondering what would happen next.

There was a strong Christian element (praying, reading the Bible, etc.), but it flowed very naturally as a part of the story. There was no bad language and no sex. Overall, I'd highly recommend this well-written, engaging novel.

If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.