The Black Echo.

The Black Echo, by Michael Connelly

My Dad gave me a most of a series that he's been reading for me to read as well. The difference between my Dad and me is that I have to read the series in order, and he doesn't. This book was not included in the bundle, as he'd borrowed it from another library while on vacation, and so I got it from my local library. 

This book is definitely an adult selection. Were this book to have a warning label, it would be labeled for violence, language, and mature content. The star of the book, and of the series (this is book one), is Harry Bosch. He is a vietnam war veteran and a homicide detective in the Hollywood division of LAPD. He is a very complex and well-crafted character, as are all the characters in the novel, including the victims. He is not the perfect hero as he has significant failings, flaws, and vices. The reader is asked to overlook these, with the commendation that he is extremely good at his job, and indeed it is easy to overlook them.

In this novel, Harry finds an old acquanitance from Vietnam dead in a tunnel. At first glance it looks like an overdose, but Harry suspects more is at stake. He digs in, despite resistence, and uncovers, well, many interesting things. I can't say much more without revealing the good stuff, but I can say that if you like detective novels, this is a great read. While it's not a slow read, there are many seemingly inconsequential points that don't pull together until the final quarter of the mystery.

Impossible.

Impossible, by Nancy Werlin

Call to mind the song, Scarborough Fair. The lyrics, apart from the beautiful melody, are a bit strange, aren't they?

Take this verse for example: (Thanks Wikipedia!)

Tell him (her) to make me a cambric shirt,

Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme,

Without a seam or needle work,

Then (s)he'll be a true love of mine.

A seemingly impossible task is set before the singer's love. That thought, and the reasons behind the song, were the inspiration for this book. Lucy, the seventeen year old whom the story follows, is forced to attempt the completion of all the tasks listed in the song, (in her family's version of it, the author took a few liberties to shorten and amend the better known versions out there) or become slave to the fae who cursed her family generations before.  

 This is not a gentle book. Lucy is emotionally tortured, her mother has been insane since Lucy's birth, and there is a rape. I was honestly shocked when I found out this was considered a teen book, well after I'd read it. I would personally call it adult fiction, and would not recommend it to the average teen. It is, however a very good book, in my opinion. Despite the overwhelming amount of frenzied darkness that is in this book, that Lucy is asked to face, there is also small but strong undercurrent of hope running throughout. It is as enchanting as it is haunting. Overall, this is a book I'm continually drawn back to read again.

City of Cannibals.

 

City of Cannibals, by Ricki Thompson

Ok, I admit, I picked this book up under false pretenses. I thought this book would be about a society that didn't exist, either yet, or ever, where cannibals had taken over against a small resistence. Nope, not even close. 

Dell is a sixteen year old girl living with her father, brother and aunt on a hillside beyond what she knows as the City of Cannibals. She's been warned never to venture too near or she may be kidnapped by the cannibals and eaten. However, the increasing brutality of her father and the kindnesses bestowed upon the family by a boy from the city give Dell the courage to escape her home and venture beyond with the hope of a better life on her own. She discovers a new kind of hope, and brutality, in the city that she comes to learn is London.

City of Cannibals gives you a personal view of the happenings of England in 1536, when King Henry VIII desired a divorce from his wife, Catherine, and the church would not grant it. He divorced her anyway, and began his way through many wives. Dell's point of view gives you the perspective of the aftermath to the churches in England, as King Henry chose to take over. This book is well written, beautiful, and, at first, very innocent, at least in Dell's perspective of the world.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone, but it's especially great for teens studying this time period, to get another, (although fictional) point of view on that tumultuous time in history. 

The Forgotten Beasts of Eld.

The Forgotten Beasts of Eld, by Patricia A. McKillip

This has been a favorite book of mine since I was a young teen. The story is about a sixteen year old girl named Sybel, a wizardess, with no family, who is suddenly given a child to raise. She and the child grow up together, until Sybel is a woman and her 'son', Tam, a young man. Then, those who brought her the child unexpectedly return and shatter their peace. Living amongst them are various fantastic creatures, cared for and loved by Sybel and Tam. Their beauty, wisdom, and value complicate and enrich the story further. 

There is beauty of language and relationships, deep hatred, and complexities of caring for others woven into the heart of this story. I would recommend this book to any who enjoy sci-fi/fantasy books, mild romance, and a rich story.

An Explanation.

I love reading. Those who know me have probably seen me buried in a book at some point or other. When I was younger, and asked to clean my room, I'd do reasonably well until I got to my books. Then, in the process of straightening and dusting, I'd find an old favorite and lose myself again in its pages, completely forgetting that my parents would be coming to check on my progress sooner or later. (Sorry Mom & Dad!) Into adulthood, I've always had trouble parting with books, including textbooks, (unless they were completely awful, like my math book...) and I've found that the library has become a great friend to my overflowing shelves. Now, as I explore my local library's massive store of entertainment and knowledge, I'd like to share it with you. 

I won't pretend I'm terribly accomplished at writing reviews, but I'll do my best to refrain from sharing spoilers. :) Not all of what I read would I necessarily recommend to others. In fact, I often come across books to which I say, 'that'd be great for this person to read, if only it wasn't for this little bit...' I don't usually choose a book, or avoid a book, based on its swear words, level of propriety, or any other such thing. I read it if it seems interesting. If you want to read a book I've read, but you're not sure if it's for you, please ask me. I'll be fully honest about what you'll find within the pages. My tastes may not run parallel to everyones; I'd be surprised if they did. Still, I hope you enjoy what you find here, and perhaps find a few books to read in your free time.