This Year in Review

Here is an overview of the 37 titles I've read this past year, sorted by rating.

5 Stars

                Only Time Will Tell- Jeffrey Archer

                Glow- Amy Kathleen Ryan

                Fezariu’s Epiphany- David M. Brown

                Cavemen, Monks & Slow Food: A History of Eating Well- Devra Gartenstein

                The Deal- Adam Gittlin

                Switched- Amanda Hocking

                Wizard for Hire- Jim Butcher

                The Da Vinci Code- Dan Brown

                Lord of Chaos- Robert Jordan

                Of Cats and Men- Nina de Gramont

                The Fires of Heaven- Robert Jordan

                Broetry- Brian McGackin

4 Stars

                Conversations and Cosmopolitans: Awkward Moments, Mixed Drinks, and How a Mother and Son Finally Shared Who They Really Are- Robert Rave & Jane Rave

                Shattered Dreams- Ellie James

                Struck By Living- Julie K. Hersh

                The Burning- Jane Casey

                Jane Was Here- Sarah Kernochan

                FOREX Frontiers: The Essentials of Currency Trading- Ivan Cavric

                Search & Destroy: Why You Can’t Trust Google, Inc.- Scott Cleland & Ira Brodsky

                White River Junctions: Empires of Flour, Steel and Ambition- Dave Norman

                Daughter of Dreams- Marshall Miller

                Smashed: Story of a Drunken Girlhood- Koren Zailckas

                Born Free: A Lioness of Two Worlds- Joy Adamson

3 Stars

                The Faculty Club- Danny Tobey

                In Their Blood- Sharon Potts

                On Lives Subway Supplement- Michael J. Parish

                Making Rounds with Oscar- David Dosa

                Women of Shadows: A Study of the Wives and Mothers of Southern Italy- Ann Cornelisen

                The Roald Dahl Omnibus- Roald Dahl

                The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer- Ellen Rimbauer

2 Stars

                Midnight Wilderness: Journeys in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge- Debbie S. Miller

                Eviction Earth- T.C. Pannone

                Valentino Speaks: The Wisdom of Rudolph Valentino, Cues and Views from the Other Side- Wayne Vincent Hatford

                The Monsters: Mary Shelley and the Curse of Frankenstein- Dorothy Hoobler

1 Star

                This Letter to Norman Court- Pablo d’Stair

                Just Kid Me Old Highway Old Wildway O Pecos Bill- William Linehan

                Sector 64: Coup de Main- Dean M. Cole

 Reviews for most of them can be found here on my blog. Happy reading!!

"Just Kid Me Old Highway Old Wildway O Pecos Bill" by William Linehan

Book Details:

Title: Just Kid Me Old Highway Old Wildway O Pecos Bill

Author: William Linehan

Published: 2011- Sagebrush Press

ISBN: 978-0-930704-35-3

Pages: 590 pages

Genre: Fiction

Rating: 1 of 5

Read In: 7 days

My Review:

The title says it all- this book makes absolutely no sense. The majority of the time I found myself staring dumbfounded at the pages, hoping Mr. Linehan had been on some kind of mind-altering drug while writing. Then again, I don’t know what would possess Sagebrush Press to publish this novel either. It was painful to finish and I may have lost a few brain cells along the way.

Words elude me when I try to think of something good to point out about Just Kid Me Old Highway Old Wildway O Pecos Bill. I spent so much time convincing myself to read just one more chapter and maybe the protagonist will wake up and it turns out it was all a really messed up dream. Unfortunately, that never happened.  The best I can guess is that the main protagonist, known as the Kid, had a very overactive imagination as a boy and now nearing middle-age, he’s reverting back to the fantasies he had in childhood- playing baseball with Pecos Bill, running around with Johnny Appleseed, a turtle camouflaged as a hubcap, the weirdness goes on and on. But that doesn’t make up for the fact that 80% of the novel is complete nonsense and the other 20% is not a very exciting story line. When Pecos Bill shows up in his yard in the middle of the night, the Kid tries to convince him he's not the Kid anymore and can't just leave to go on a roadtrip, as Bill suggests he needs to do. Alas, he changes his mind and off they go.

One thing that stood out in Linehan's writing is his overly extensive use of color when describing things. At some points, color even comes right out of the characters' mouths. Which is just plain weird and there's really no point for it. But he includes color somewhere on just about every page in the book, something that began to bother me fairly early in as there is more to description than colors... 

Overall, I don't recommend anyone waste their time reading this novel and I sincerely hope Linehan looks for another creative outlet because novels just aren't his forte. One out of five stars for Just Kid Me Old Highway Old Wildway O Pecos Bill.

"Broetry" by Brian McGackin

Book Details:

Title: Broetry

Author: Brian McGackin

Published: 2011- Quirk Books

ISBN: 978-1-59474-517-1

Pages: 128 pages

Genre: Poetry

Rating: 5 of 5

Read In: 2 days

My Review:

This book of poetry for "bros" is absolutely hilarious! McGackin uses true poetry-writing skills and techniques and applies them to popular topics among college-age guys. Naturally, there is plenty of material about sex, drinking, and being broke (isn't that what college is all about?), and he also pulls quite a lot of material from popular culture (superheroes, action movies, classical music, and World of Warcraft, just to name a few). The major social networking websites are all properly represented, as well.

 Nowhere else will you find such entertaining poetry. McGackin's Broetry breathes life into the embers of the ebbing art of poetry, tailoring it to those coming-of-age in the 21st century. He writes about life as college-age kids see and experience it, throws in witticisms and just a dash of foul language, and there you have it- Broetry. I would recommend anyone read this as it's a welcome relief from the stuffy poetry of previous generations and is guaranteed to keep you laughing from beginning to end. I give it five out of five stars and look forward to future publications from Brian McGackin.

"FOREX Frontiers: The Essentials of Currency Trading" by Ivan Cavric

Book Details:

Title: FOREX Frontiers: The Essentials of Currency Trading

Author: Ivan Cavric

Published: 2010- Merritt House Publishing, Inc.

ISBN: 978-0-9865803-2-1

Pages: 228 pages

Genre: Money Management- Foreign Exchange Trading

Rating: 4 of 5

Read In: 3 days

My Review:

As an introduction to foreign exchange trading, this book does its job very well. I began this book with absolutely no knowledge or previous experience on this topic, but felt I had a firm grasp of the basics upon finishing. It is a very easy read, so anyone interested in researching this career should have no problem understanding what they need to know to decide if FOREX trading is a viable option for them. I truly enjoyed learning about this trade, as it is something I previously knew nothing about, and I was greatly disappointed by the two major drawbacks I noted throughout the book- the author’s constant warnings that there is little chance of success in this trade, and the obvious lack of proofreading and editing.

One major setback I saw in the author’s approach to teaching FOREX is that he constantly reiterates how few actually succeed in this market and how novices barely stand a chance. While I appreciate Cavric’s caution and concern for his readers, I found it only made me afraid to even try to go ahead with my education of FOREX trading because the author seems to push that there is little to no hope for success anyway. He states numerous times that only five percent of FOREX traders are able to make a living from this practice, many being large banks, governments, and financial institutions. This leaves almost zero hope for your everyday, run-of-the-mill trader.

 From a literary standpoint, the editing of this book is simply horrible! There are words randomly missing and sentences that lack their first couple words, making some extremely difficult to understand as the reader must imagine what words belong there. I would hope that a system that boasts that it will “jumpstart anyone’s desire to enter the exciting world of FOREX” would take a little more time examining what they are providing someone looking to make a life-altering change. I was thoroughly enjoying learning about trading psychology, market trends, and strategies, but the constant lapse in grammar and sentence structure made me feel that maybe this information was just churned out quickly to reach a publisher and make a profit (since the editing step was obviously skipped over completely), and perhaps its information is less that completely credible.

FOREX Frontiers is divided into fourteen chapters, each highlighting a different area of interest to FOREX traders, such as money management, designing your own trading strategy, deciding if FOREX trading is right for you, and how to jumpstart your own career. The author utilizes graphs and tables to make the denser information more reader-friendly, and there are also many bulleted lists to help break up the information, when droning paragraphs would only lead to confusion. Although, one problem I saw with the author's choice of graphs is that he refers to different colored lines to show his points, but the book is printed in black and white! This makes it a bit difficult to even know which line he is referencing.

I really wanted to give FOREX Frontiers five out of five stars, but the negatives weighed heavily on me as a reader, so it will have to settle for four stars. I would recommend this as a source of beginner information for anyone interested in researching FOREX trading, but if you’re easily scared, you may want to find another reference. And if you’re skeptical about your ability to maintain your interest in foreign exchange trading, FOREX isn’t for you.

"Daughter of Dreams" by Marshall Miller

Book Details:
Title: Daughter of Dreams
Author: Marshall Miller
Published: 2011- Self-published
ISBN: 978-1-456-36814-2
Pages: 634 pages
Genre: Science Fiction
Rating: 4 of 5
Read In: 11 days

My Review:
Miller's Daughter of Dreams takes place in a futuristic, post-pandemic world closely resembling our own. The planet is divided into territories and technology has advanced, making bugging and eavesdropping a daily concern for everyone. Following a vast epidemic of the 'zeta virus', a weapon meant for biological warfare, a scientist living in the territory known simply as the City discovers the miracle cure. Unfortunately, it is this discovery that plunges him and his daughter Serda into a whirlwind of fleeing, terror, and most importantly for Serda, self-discovery and eventually acceptance of her uncanny abilities to sense and decipher the souls of those around her.

This novel gets uncomfortably deep in philosophy at some points, but was overall a breath of fresh air in it's ability to combine complexity with a gripping story line and elaborate history of all of it's main characters. The author include a fair amount of central characters and shares the story-telling among all of them, giving each sufficient time in the limelight.

Even the places the author has created for his world are intriguing and contain histories in their own rights. The Communes is a society that keeps space between themselves and the rest of the world, sharing a common set of beliefs known as the Way. These people value their relationship with the earth and value society and the good of all over the good of the individual. The City is the other territory highlighted thoughout the novel. It's a vast metropolitan area rife with politics, crime, and survival-of-the-fittest. Technology is greatly utilized and the border of the City is guarded by Tracers, pods that can scan and detect specific individuals' DNA to aid the Guardian police force in capturing fugitives. Another territory is briefly visited: the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth, though not as specifically described as the Communes and City, seems to be little more than  a peaceful suburban area.

The philosophies devised in this novel center around the soul and it's connection to dreams, and to a lesser degree, the power of love. Serda, later known as Maya, discovers she is a Dreamer while hiding in the Communes from a corrupt Councilor looking to torture the cure for the zeta virus out of her father for his own political gain. She begins to see that she can feel and visualize the feelings of those both physically and emotionally close to her. She meets Ian in the Communes and he begins her adventures to understand and contain her power, which later becomes her greatest defense. Though her power makes others unsettled and dangerously vulnerable in her presence, Maya finds that those who truely love her are unaffected by the negative affects of her power, allowing her the close human connections she has longed for her entire life. Much of the book centers around Maya and her extraordinary power, while the race to protect and properly utilize the cure sometimes takes the back burner.

I have given this novel four out of five stars. Sometimes it becomes very abstract and difficult to wade through, but the conclusion could not have been any better.

"Switched" by Amanda Hocking

Book Details:
Title: Switched (Trylle Trilogy #1)
Author: Amanda Hocking
Published: January 2012- St Martin's Press
ISBN: 978-1-250-00631-8
Pages: 293 pages
Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy
Rating: 5 of 5
Read In: 2 days

My Review:
Most young adult novels follow a similar pattern- girl meets boy, girl falls hopelessly in love with boy, something tears girl and boy apart, girl gets into trouble, boy runs to her rescue, the end. Many very popular series follow this model successfully and become huge hits, like the Twilight Saga and House of Night series. Others miserably miss the mark and land with their face in the mud. Thankfully, Amanda Hocking's Trylle trilogy is off to an amazing start in Switched.

Female readers everywhere will fall in love with girl's main squeeze, the mysterious and hard-to-get Finn. "Girl" is Wendy- she's clumsy and scatterbrained and you can't help but feel for her, especially in her fight for finn and her struggle to remain herself while everyone around her demands she be someone else.

This particular story has one quality I feel really sets it apart from the rest- there are no vampires. I was a little disappointed myself at first, but Trylle are something better than vampires, they're trolls. But not in the living under bridges eating goats sense, but in the magical abilities, lots of money and glam fashion. Now what makes these creatures better than vampires? They don't have to drink blood to maintain their abilities and composure, so aside from the overall waning of abilities among their species, they really have no weaknesses.

I really enjoyed this book, aside from the infuriating ending. I seriously recommend waiting the extra month after publication to buy the second at the same time, because the need for the next book is far too strong! I could not put Switched down for two whole days and it leaves me sad it's over.

I give Switched five out of five stars only because I can't give it six, and I strongly recommend any fan of young adult novels not miss out on this series.

"Fezariu's Epiphany" by David M. Brown

Book Details:
Title: Fezariu's Epiphany
Author: David M. Brown
Published: 2011- Createspace
ISBN: 978-1-456-50059-7
Pages: 379 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 5 of 5
Read In: 10 days

My Review:
This is the first installment in the Elencheran Chronicles series by David M. Brown. As a fervent fan of the fantasy genre, I found this book to be everything I expected and more. Not only are the characters well-developed and memorable, the reader is taken away to an equally well-developed fantasy world that rivals the worlds of popular, established fantasy writers, such as Robert Jordan and Mercedes Lackey.

Brown features a vast variety of both primary and secondary characters. Some are members of fantasy races the author himself creates, such as a canine-like people and humans with naturally purple hair. The main protagonist of this series is Fezariu, who is followed from birth in this novel. As he grows and enters different stages of his life, other characters enter and leave his life, always leaving a mark on his life. From his mother, a prostitute trying only to do the right thing for her son, to Fezariu's fellow mercenary friends, every character is memorable.

I was greatly disappointed that my copy does not have maps of Brown's fantasy world. He describes in great detail the geography of the various countries and cities, but they are expansive and difficult to follow without visual representations. However, each region has their own well-devised history, much of which the reader learns through the protagonist's travels. It is very clear that this series will be impressively in-depth and the author leaves no aspect of his world to the imagination. He has thought of everything, from the races inhabiting each region, the individual histories of his countries and cities, and even the different governing systems.

I am very excited for further installments of what is sure to be a hit fantasy series. I gave Fezariu's Epiphany five out of five stars and firmly believe it deserves every one. I feel I can be a tough critic of fantasy novels, but I hold this one in high regards and anxiously await the publication of its sequel!

"This Letter to Norman Court" by Pablo D'Stair

Book Details:
Title: This Letter to Norman Court
Author: Pablo D'Stair
Published: 2011- Pigeon Grift Press
ISBN: 978-0-6155-0553-4
Pages: 132 pages
Genre: Crime/Noir Novella
Rating: 1 of 5
Read In: 1 day


My Review:
This first of five novellas about petty crook Trevor English was one of the worst works of literature I have ever read. Not only is the entire thing lacking any kind of sentence or chapter structure, the grammar is painful to read through.

One reason many people enjoy books is the characters and how the author presents them and their personal growth and how much the reader can connect and enjoy the character. This Letter to Norman Court, however, had absolutely no likable characters. Trevor English is a pickpocket living life on the outskirts of society and barely getting by crashing on couches, drinking and smoking profusely, and lifting wallets to fund his habits. When he is offered two thousand dollars to deliver an incriminating letter, he takes advantage of the situation to make even more money by ruining lives of everyone involved in the letter. When his scheme begins crumbling around him, I found myself hoping and praying the cops would get him, because a person like that, even a fictitious one, deserves nothing less. Not only is the main protagonist is a miserable low-life, all the people he meets along his journeys have some hidden agenda or secret to hide.

Although pretty short, it was difficult for me to read through this mind-numbingly ridiculous novella. I give "This Letter to Norman Court" one of five stars, merely for the author's brave attempt at writing something another person may want to read. But that person is not me.

"On Lives Subway Supplement" by Michael J. Parish

Book Detail:
Title: "On Lives Subway Supplement"
Author: Micheal J. Parish
Published: 2009- On Lives Press
ISBN: None
Pages: 21 pages
Genre: Essays
Rating: 3 of 5
Read In: 1 hour


My Review:
Parish's booklet "On Lives Subway Supplement" is a smart collection of ten short essays on some pretty random topics. The author's chosen topics include walking, lawns, aging, and even online dating. Though they're not particularly mind-blowing, the essays are short enough to entertain anyone for long enough to avoid boredom in places such as bus stops, subways, or doctor offices.

"On Walks and Walking" discusses the author's thoughts on leisurely walking. He expresses that it has become a lost art and encourages readers to get up and walk versus leading a more sedentary lifestyle.

"On Lawns" is a funny little essay highlighting the history of the lawn and the extent people go to to keep their lawns looking nice (though usually hiring someone to do it for them!).

"On Aging" was a particular favorite of mine. Parish writes that between the sun damaging our skin and gravity pulling us down to the Earth, aging is aided by the very world we live in. He also explores the happiness and curiosity of children, asking why we can't maintain such attitudes as we grow older.

I found "On Online Dating" to be chuckle-inducing. Parish wonders if people who have such a difficult time finding and keeping a partner that they have to depend on the Internet to help should really reproduce. Survival of the fittest must be keeping these people from finding a sexual partner for a reason. Though he does express that some people are just far too busy to properly date outside the Internet, he stresses that anything as important as finding a partner should be given as much time and energy as we can allot to it.

I found this booklet entertaining for a short time, but was not exactly impressed. My overall reaction was just as so-so as the three of five stars I have given this essay collection.

"The Deal" by Adam Gittlin

Book Details:
Title: The Deal
Author: Adam Gittlin
Published: 2008- Oceanview Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-933515-13-7
Genre: Thriller
Pages: 342
Rating: 5 of 5
Read In: 6 days


My Review:
Adam Gittlin's The Deal is an absolutely amazing thriller! the author uses deeply interesting character, infuses history into the plot, and then sprinkles pop culture on top to create one of the most addicting novels I have had the pleasure of picking up!

His main protagonist is Jonah Gray- a high-end commercial real estate broker in the heart of New York City. Following in his father's foot steps in every facet of his life, from his business ethics to his taste for fine things, Jonah finds himself acquainted with some of the city's highest rollers, the best of the best in business and the luckiest in life. While the reader follows Jonah around in what becomes a life-changing series of events, they get to know all sorts other characters, some of whom show their less-than-desirable sides, while others show that there really are good people still in powerful positions in the world. We become very familiar with Gray's business partners- the tough, successful leader Tommy, Jake, the partner who is rarely serious, but will go for the throat to close a deal, and the hard-headed, subtly alluring Perry. Stan Gray, Jonah's father, is his only remaining family since his mother died when he was young. A top gun in real estate, his father is Jonah's best and worst critic rolled into one, all in the name of helping his son succeed. We meet friends L and Andreu, who seem upon finishing the novel to be the respective angel and devil on Jonah's shoulders. I absolutely loved all of the characters, not just the select few mentioned here. Even the more minor characters, such as his father's chauffeur Mattheau, Angie, the girl Jonah finds to be too good to be true, and Parker, Jonah's doorman, prove to be multi-dimensional and the author allows them their own side stories and lives for the reader to be sidetracked into.

Another amazing aspect of this novel is the author's use of history in the plot. The first major problem the protagonist faces is when a stolen Faberge egg is planted on him at a party. This opens up doors to Russian and art history that is solidly visited throughout the novel and creates the central story line. I had only heard of these Russian treasures in passing, but The Deal explores their whole history, substituting a bit for the sake of the story, and exposes the reader to knowledge they may never have had the pleasure of possessing otherwise. For that, I am grateful to Mr. Gittlin.

Finally, Gittlin sprinkles popular culture all over throughout the novel to draw readers in to something they already are familiar with. This also serves, in my opinion, to show the reader that there is some similarities between them and this larger-than-life lifestyle the characters possess. While the reader may not have millions in the bank and maintain an honorable position in one of the largest and most successful real estate brokerage companies in the country, they can still appreciate the "Everybody Loves Raymond" reference, that the protagonist also listens to Beastie Boys, Rage Against The Machine, and Coldplay, or that he also has read and internalized Shakespeare and Edgar Allan Poe. If the reader can not connect to the characters' lifestyles in no other way, this serves as a great way to remember that they are just as real (as far as the novel is concerned) and the reader.

I am very excited that I got to read this novel. The mystery and suspense kept me from putting it down multiple times. I give it five out of five stars and would absolutely jump at the chance to read another novel by this author.

"Valentino Speaks: The Wisdom of Rudolph Valentino, Cues and Views From the Other Side" by Wayne Vincent Hatford

Book Details:
Title: Valentino Speaks: The Wisdom of Rudolph Valentino, Cues and Views From the Other Side
Author: Wayne Vincent Hatford
Published: 2011- Whitley Heights Publishing
ISBN: 978-0-9833436-0-8
Genre: Spiritualism
Pages: 317
Rating: 2 of 5
Read In: 9 days

My Review:
Though a great wealth of practical advice and experiences, I found Valentino Speaks to be painfully dry and difficult to wade through. I was also put back by its premise of being written through a process known as automatic writing. I believe I am very open minded when it comes to spiritualism, but the idea that the long-dead Rudolph Valentino was able to command use of the author's pen and write his thoughts and opinions on such a myriad of topics is difficult for me to accept.

Aside from the supposed way the book was written, some of the topics seemed a little ridiculous to me: bullfighting, clockwise, opera, and portals to name a few. The authors found plenty to say during vignettes such as these, but once I finished them, I felt like I didn't gain anything from them.

I gave this book two of five stars for some pretty deep, thought-provoking vignettes, despite those that did not shine. I could barely finish this book and would not consider re-reading it, but I would recommend it to someone more into self-help, spiritualistic reads.

"Search & Destroy: Why You Can't Trust Google Inc" by Scott Cleland with Ira Brodsky

Book Details:
Title: Search & Destroy: Why You Can't Trust Google Inc
Author: Scott Cleland with Ira Brodsky
Published: 2011- Telescope Books
ISBN: 978-0-9800383-2-3
Genre: Business/Information Technology/Politics
Pages: 247
Rating: 4 of 5
Read In: 6 days


My Review:
Scott Cleland has bravely done what few have the nerve to do: publicly expose the secrets of a tyrant. Google Inc is a multi-billion dollar company extending their tentacles into every possible corner of commerce and the Internet as possible, and effectively taking over. The general public as a whole does not realize the hold this seemingly innocent Internet-based company has over their personal information and the sneaky ways they gather and archive such private details of our daily lives- including, but not limited to, the websites we visit in the comfort of our own homes, the links and ads we are drawn to while Web surfing, and even our medical and health records. Aside from victimizing the general public, Cleland exposes the questionable tactics and politics they utilize to trap and take advantage of companies that purchase advertisement from Google Inc. In three parts, the author runs through the laundry list of crimes against humanity this company gets away with on a daily basis, all in the name of profit and in the effort to monopolize all of the world's information.

The first part of this book explains why Google Inc is not to be trusted. They preach transparency and open information in every area of life, government, and business, and yet remain close-lipped about their own practices. Information such as employment statistics, information-gathering techniques, and even the locations of their servers remains unreachable for anyone outside the company (and even most employed by the company). They also fail to expose the information they steal through their search engine, applications, email service, and Street View vehicles, most of which is taken just through use of sponsored websites. Google was caught accessing personal residential wireless networks through their Street View application mapping, later reluctantly giving up the data (including user names, passwords, and personal files) for review and later stating that though the information was supposedly acquired accidently, the company would not destroy the information unless required by law. Doesn't quite sound like the innocent, trustworthy company they like to pretend to be.

Part two enlightens the reader about why Google Inc is destructive. They pick and choose which sites get displayed in their search results based solely on their own biases and loyalties, causing some to lose business due to becoming buried underneath numerous other, similar businesses. Also, advertisement price hikes on unsuspecting companies hurts business and can force companies to close or downsize to make up for their loss of revenue. Political websites are also selectively displayed, generating more support for the candidates Google supports and hurting the political careers of the rest (over 90% of Google employees are Democrats). Another potentially damaging habit of Google's is their reputation for posting or using copyrighted or patented material without permission and bracing for any backlash that may occur once the rightful owner discovers the theft of their protected material. Google Inc's deliberate, unapologetic approach to helping themselves to another's intellectual property makes the book/video/program/etc available for everyone to use with no reimbursement or credit to the rightful owner. Once discovered, the material has been available long enough to compromise the owner's exclusive rights to it and therefore loses potential revenue to bootleg copies. With no remorse, Google takes their time removing the material, but the damage is already done and irreversible.

Lastly, the author takes you into the future and gives a dim view of what the world could come to if Google gets it's way and is allowed to continue on the path they're on. Tyrants, owning all information the world can produce, a select few elite within the company deciding what information is available to the public and what they feel does not promote their best interest. All of your private information openly available to anyone with Internet access- finances, health records, contact information. Google is a fierce supported of "open" information systems.

I found this book to be very eye-opening and am grateful this information is now available to the general public. Google would like to remain seen as an innovative, trustworthy company that offers no threat to mankind, operating with the best of intentions and striving to better the world. After reading this book, readers can decide Google's level of trustworthiness for themselves. Though the author is quite repetitive with some information, his resources are reputable and from a wide selection of mediums. As Financial Times magazine said about Google Inc: "The world has every reason to applaud Google, but few reasons to trust it." I give Search & Destroy four of five stars and strongly recommend everyone read it and become educated on the issues with this company and hopefully increase their own online security.

"White River Junctions: Empires of Flour, Steel and Ambition" by Dave Norman

Book Details:
Title: White River Junctions: Empires of Flour, Steel and Ambition
Author: Dave Norman
Published: 2010- f/64 Publishing
ISBN: 978-0-9831858-0-2
Genre: History/Biography
Pages: 328
Rating: 4 of 5
Read In: 5 days


My Review:
I was very pleasantly surprised by this in-depth history of a small Vermont town. Not many tiny mountain towns can claim the expansive and fascinating history Norman relates in his book. 


The author first explores some of the long-standing, historical buildings still able to be seen today. The railroad station that is credited with giving purpose to a town built on this plot of New England territory, a warehouse now housing a salvage shop and giving local artists room to practice their craft, and a hotel with Presidential ties that still provides rest and relaxation to weary travelers are among the spectacular locations Norman explores and pays homage to on his tour of White River Junctions. Their histories give a voice to a town that has seen more hardship and struggles than most, but continues to thrive and stand strong to educate a new generation.


The second half of this book features extensive interviews with some of the town's more deeply-rooted citizens and explores what it means to be a Vermonter. His direct quotations from the interviewees keeps the stories in the voices of those they belong to rather than suffering the process of paraphrasing. Never have I heard such delightful and charming people directly from the pages of a book. They all seem to agree that close family ties, hard work, and independence are among the most treasured traits of a native Vermonter. The families represented in the town have strong military participation and honorable government involvement, aiding a belief that small town living truly brings out the best in people.


I really enjoyed this book and give it four of five stars. The only improvement I would make would be the addition of maps and pictures to put faces to names and images to the author's own descriptions. Definitely a must-read for all history buffs!

"Eviction Earth" by T.C. Pannone

Book Details:

Title: Eviction Earth

Author: T.C. Pannone

Published: 2010- Self-Published

ISBN: 978-1-45638-564-4

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 257

Rating: 2 of 5

Read in: 6 days

My Review:

I have read more than my fair share of both good and bad science fiction, and Pannone's Eviction Earth falls straight into the latter category for me. The author had a great plot line going in the beginning, but his cookie-cutter characters, lack of plot development, and gross misuse of grammar and punctuation had me rooting for the asteroid just so the book would end.

The first real problem I had with this novel was character development, a major factor in the success of a work of fiction. The reader wants a memorable cast of characters to keep the book exciting and enjoyable. I just did not find that here. The main protagonist, Kal, is nothing special. An ex-college football player turned disability case after a motorcycle accident is not very intriguing, nor does he possess any higher mental faculties to make him and his family worthy of such awesome adventures as they face. There is little back story and Kal and his family turn out to be just as boring as can be. The reader gets next to no insight into their minds, thought processes, or personalities, making them as two-dimensional as the words on the page.

Secondly, the plot development was severely lacking all through this novel. I admire the twists and turns, but the author crammed far too much plot in a relatively short novel and therefore did not do justice to what could have been a very exciting plot. The characters bounce from one situation to the next so quickly there is rarely enough time for Pannone to thoroughly and successfully harness and convey the situation to the reader. It also leaves much to be desired when it come to the life and world of the underground dwellers. The book ends very abruptly and, in my opinion, does not successfully conclude the story. I was dying to know about their years underground, but had to settle for my own theories. Another one hundred pages would have done this novel a world of good.

Lastly, the author's errors in grammar and punctuation were numerous. It appeared the first half of the book that perhaps the author was unaware of what a comma was. That idea was thrown out the window in the second half, where they were thrown in seemingly at random, though still rarely. Pannone also seems to have an issue with homophones. I laughed out loud each time I read that one who has betrayed his people is  a "trader". I also caught an instance or two of using "than" rather than "then". Maybe another read-through before publication would have been a good idea... I strongly recommend an editor for his next novel. The dialogue was also consistently cheesy and childish- not at all the adult-caliber talk one expects from a novel meant for an older crowd.

Overall, disappointed by this one, but the last half proved that the author did have a good idea, just perhaps not the patience or ability to convey it to the rest of us. For that, I give Eviction Earth two out of five stars.

"Midnight Wilderness: Journeys in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge" by Debbie S. Miller

Book Details:

Title: Midnight Wilderness: Journeys in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

Author: Debbie S. Miller

Published: 2011- The Mountaineers Books

ISBN: 978-1-59485-633-4

Genre: Memoir/Conservation

Pages: 179

Rating: 2 of 5

Read in: Longer Than I Care To Admit

My Review:
Debbie Miller's Midnight Wilderness slightly deceived me. I picked the book up hoping for adventure and excitement in a lesser-known part of our country and instead found myself pouring through page after page of anti-oil drilling service announcements. Now let me make it known right now that I do not condone or support oil drilling in this natural, wild area, and reading this book made me more well-informed on the issue and against it. However, even the chapters on Miller's exciting hikes throughout the Refuge, she continuously throws punches at oil drilling. I get it. When I'm reading about adventurous hikes in treacherous and wonderful areas, I don't appreciate my attention being pulled away and pushed back into an anti-drilling campaign. It ruined the book for me as a whole. I'm glad the author is passionate about the issue, and it is an issue that should be brought to the public's attention, but don't market the book as being about "journeys in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge" when it's clearly written to express the author's views on a current event. I would have thoroughly enjoyed it exponentially more if every other page didn't discuss abandoned oil barrels or drilling settlements. I got the feeling that the author meant to constantly disrupt the majesty her descriptions of the landscape created with the ugly images of development to create the image of the possible future this land faces. Wonderful cause, but I did not enjoy the frequency of the interruptions. I was hoping for more glimpses into this Arctic world. I waited patiently to learn of the native people living in the area and was deeply disappointed when the author made no attempt to divulge their culture or society to the reader. I believe these people are of great importance to the area and would love to have learned more about them. Miller says at the beginning of her work that she wanted to include a chapter about the Inupiat Eskimos, but felt she could not do them justice in just one chapter. How about a teaser, then? Anything about them and their adaptations to the conditions of their homelands would have been fascinating, but sadly they did not get their time in the sun within the pages of this book. The beauty and wonder of Alaska's Arctic that the author seemed to be trying to convey was deeply lost to me.
I felt quite lost through a lot of the book due to the author's usage of terms known to those familiar with the landscape and terrain, but with little to no explanation for a reader who has never experienced a "tussock", "talus", or "moraines". 
I give this book 2 out of 5 stars primarily because it didn't hold my attention and it felt like a chore getting through it. I do, however, see that the book was written to voice a very honorable stand on a controversial issue and would be a treasured read for someone more informed on the subject of oil drilling and conservation in this Arctic territory. Someone without knowledge or experience of the area may well become lost and flounder to the book's conclusion.

"In Their Blood" by Sharon Potts

Book Details:

Title: In Their Blood

Author: Sharon Potts

Published: 2009- Oceanview Publishing

ISBN: 978-1-60809-005-1

Genre: Suspense

Pages: 354

Rating: 3 of 5

Read in: 9 days

My Review:

Jeremy has lived a very privileged life- his dad's a college professor and his mom's a successful partner at a CPA firm. He doesn't want that kind of 9-to-5 life for himself though, and drops out of college to travel around Europe and escape the responsibility of becoming an adult. When young Jeremy Stroeb's parents are brutally murdered in their home though, he must rush back to Miami to assume guardianship over his 16-year old sister, Elise. However, upon arriving home, he finds that little is known about who is responsible for the murders and he takes it upon himself to find out. Of course, he must then face the unbearable truths his parents had successfully kept from their children, and figure out which was worth their lives to keep hidden.

Potts' novel features many unique and unforgettable characters, which was what I liked most. An eccentric college graduate assistant, a drunken CPA has-been, a corporate mogul making all his money illegally- everyone has a secret waiting to be revealed and all roads lead to the murder victims. Were they killed for money? For lust? To protect a reputation? Something more scandalous? Jeremy throws all he has into trying to find out, and as it turns out, the killer isn't finished either.

A very typical murder mystery with a unique set of characters, I was sufficiently entertained and fully engaged from the first page to the last. I give this novel three of five stars and give the author props for a very successful first novel.

"The Burning" by Jane Casey

Book Details:

Title: The Burning

Author: Jane Casey

Published: 2011 by St. Martin's Press

ISBN: 978-0-312-61417-1

Genre: Thriller

Pages: 354

Rating: 4 of 5

Read in: 12 days

My Review:

Jane Casey's The Burning is a crime novel set in London during the reign of a particularly heinous serial killer. Known as the "Burning Man", he attacks women in the night, beating them and then setting their bodies on fire, destroying all evidence. Enter DC Maeve Kerrigan, a young detective assigned to the murder of Rebecca Haworth, who may or may not have fallen victim to the Burning Man. This novel follows Maeve as she tries to weed her way through Rebecca's past, determined to prove her murder was a little more personal than the assumption that she was the Burning Man's latest victim. The novel is also told from the point of view of Rebecca's shy and quiet best friend Louise North, whose always lived in her friend's shadow and by all accounts has loved and worshiped her since the day they met. Louise's story offers another account of Rebecca's past, as well as interesting insights into the current events taking place.

I enjoyed the book as a whole, but found it to be pretty slow to develop. Being told from two different points of views does help leave the reader guessing as to the conclusion, though. It's a classic whodunit with some modern flair. Set against the backdrop of London, it sometimes feels as though the detectives are following a modern-day Jack the Ripper- serial killer plaguing the streets of London at night, prowling on younger women and savagely killing them. I'd like the think this is the effect the author was going for.

One thing that really bothered me about the character development was the abrupt end to the budding romance between the main character and her colleague, Rob. Her attraction and affection toward him starts partially through the book, comes to a peak about three quarters through, and then... NOTHING. He's barely even mentioned in the last fifty pages! Although she explains that they could never be together because of their work relationship, the attraction would not just stop. However, Rob's appearances in the book seem to. Unfortunately, there's no closure to this particular side story.

I would like to see a series of crime novels featuring Maeve Kerrigan- she's a strong woman, a well-rounded character, and a brilliant detective. There is also a small group of great supporting characters who could be developed further later on, or left in the background to support and aid the hero. I give this book four out of five stars.

"Struck By Living: From Depression to Hope" by Julie K. Hersh

Book Details:

Title: Struck By Living: From Depression to Hope

Author: Julie K. Hersh

Published: 2011 by Greenleaf Book Group Press

ISBN: 978-1-60832-107-0

Genre: Memoir

Pages: 223

Rating: 4 of 5

Read in: 6 days

My Review:
Depression is a formidable enemy. It doesn't show up on an x-ray or a CAT scan. No testing of blood or urine can detect it's presence. That doesn't make it any less traumatizing or deadly, just more difficult to diagnose and treat. It's like a cancer of the soul- aggressive, debilitating, painful. If caught in time, medication, counselling, and support from loved ones can help reduce it back to nothing. Not everyone can get the help they need in time and fall victim to the dark hopelessness. And there's still never a guarantee that you won't relapse even years later. Julie Hersh suffered through this disease, just one of millions around the country. Her story is like so many others in many ways. Her suffering and constant battle to find relief is shared by an increasing number, but her path to and from depression is solely her own. Her memoir of her experiences with depression shows readers who may also be battling the same condition or know someone who is that life doesn't have to end to find a release. She invites the reader into her desperate, pained mind at her worse to prove it's never hopeless, there's always a way out, you just have to find what works for you. She also takes the reader into a psychiatric ward and a treatment center, sanctuaries for the mentally unstable to gain their footing and start the journey to wellness. She gives hope and understanding and shamelessly recounts even her lowest points. The effects on her friends and family, the toll months of little sleep and nourishment took on her body, her attempts to kill herself- she doesn't sugar-coat the illness the offer one of the most honest tellings of depression I have come across.

This memoir features a depression treatment option not commonly discussed- electroconvulsive therapy or ECT. The author discusses her experiences with this controversial therapy and how it may have saved her life. After several suicide attempts, ECT was a last option for her and her family and turned out to be their saving grace. I gave this book four out of five stars and would strongly recommend it to anyone suffering from depression, but especially to anyone close to someone suffering from it. Hersh gives a very accurate account of the mentality and thought processes that go along with the illness and could help others understand when they may have never experienced it themselves.

"Only Time Will Tell" by Jeffrey Archer

Book Details:

Title: Only Time Will Tell

Author: Jeffrey Archer

Published: anticipated September 2011 by St. Martin's Press

ISBN: 978-0-312-53955-9

Genre: Drama

Pages: 386

Rating: 5 of 5

Read in: 6 days

My Review:

Harry Clifton is the only child of a deceased dock worker and a waitress, though it doesn't take long for his intelligence and choral talent to shine through and he's whisked away to some of the best schools in England- those rarely attended by anyone in the lower class. He grows up blissfully ignorant of the scandals surrounding his entire existence, as hints that expose several deep-rooted lies begin to fall into his lap. The story takes place in World War II era England- a dramatic, violent backdrop for an equally tumultuous series of events. Harry must learn to accept the truths he discovers, among them are the circumstances of his father's death, his uncle's imprisonment, and his true parentage.

I was amazed at how quickly the book sucked me in. Archer's multigenerational points of view naturally develop the plot more and more with each character's side of the story. The reader gets to experience the conflict from not just the eyes of the primary protagonist, but from five other major characters of varying age, social class, and occupation and learns each character's deep, dark secrets firsthand.

Being the first book in The Clifton Chronicles, documenting Harry's life from 1919 to 1940, I immediately craved its sequel as I finished the last page, desperate to know what happens to Harry Clifton as another great event begins to unfold. Archer's chosen ending to this installment leaves the reader in awe of what could possibly happen next! A job very well done! Giving Only Time Will Tell five out of five stars still doesn't seem to do it justice.

"Cavemen, Monks, and Slow Food: A History of Eating Well" by Devra Gartenstein

Book Details:
Title: Cavemen, Monks, and Slow Food: A History of Eating Well
Author: Devra Gartenstein
Published: 2011 by Quirky Gourmet Productions
ISBN: 978-0-615-43727-9
Genre: Nonfiction- Food & Drink
Pages: 227
Rating: 5 of 5
Read in: Way too long


My Review:
Aside from presenting a history of human eating habits, Gartenstein opens the reader's eyes to the substandard conditions that surround all aspects of what we eat today and compares it to the simple, organic foods our ancestors enjoyed. She also provides knowledge and information the reader may find useful in altering their own diet to benefit themselves, the people working hard to produce their food, and the environment. While it doesn't seem to be a deliberate jab at today's food industries, the author doesn't spare any feelings and admirably lays out all of the cold, hard facts for anyone willing to listen- whether it's what we want to hear or not.


I was impressed by the author's expansive history of not only the common, dominant civilizations of each era, but also of lesser known groups, such as the Akkadians and Harrappans. Not much about these cultures is common knowledge, but Gartenstein did not overlook the effects even these people had on the cuisine of their time. She also references lesser-known documents and  laws that shaped the landscape of human appetites.


The author left no topic unexplored. From hunting to farming, food processing, advertising, and legislation. The author weaves a wonderfully intricate web that shows the steady flow of how mankind went from starving hunter-gatherers to comfortably overfed and taking food for granted. 


The only flaws I could find in this book were typographical. Every topic is well-researched and connections from one age to another show the natural progression of human diets all over the world.  I highly recommend it to anyone at least a little interested in knowing exactly what we eat today and how it compares to the foods of times long past. I give this book five stars.