starred review - Macmillan Library

Two Stars for Caroline Bock’s LIE

Posted on July 15, 2011 by Ali Fisher

Both Publishers Weekly and Kirkus Reviews have seen fit to add a star to their reviews of Caroline Bock's LIE. LIE is the story of seventeen-year-old Skylar Thompson and her role in a small town hate crime. Her boyfriend stands accused of brutally assaulting two young El Salvadoran immigrants from a neighboring town, and she’s the prime witness.

Kirkus Reviews calls LIE, "unusual and important," and says, "This effective, character-driven, episodic story examines the consequences of a hate crime on the teens involved in it. [...] Realistic and devastatingly insightful, this novel can serve as a springboard to classroom and family discussions."

[UPDATE] Kirkus Reviews added LIE to their list of New and Notable Books for Teens for August.

Publishers Weekly says, "Avoiding preachiness, Bock handles the novel's multiple viewpoints exceptionally well, rotating among the painfully believable voices of high school students and adults. Her characters may keep the truth inside, but their story reads like a confessional."

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Starred Reviews for Buried Secrets

Posted on July 12, 2011 by Ali Fisher

Both Booklist and Library Journal gave starred reviews to BURIED SECRETS, the spy thriller sequel to VANISHED. This is a creepy one folks, so Talia is all over it.

Nick Heller, private spy, is summoned by an old family friend. Hedge fund titan Marshall Marcus desperately needs Nick’s help. His teenaged daughter, Alexa, has just been kidnapped. Alexa, whom Nick has known since she was young, has been buried alive. She is held prisoner in an underground crypt, a camera trained on her, her suffering streaming live over the internet.

"A total wow of a read. [...] Great tension results from the knowledge that Marcus feels he has to keep his secret. About as perfectly plotted and suspenseful as possible, this is a tremendous high-wire act." -Booklist (starred review)

"Highly recommended not only for Finder fans but for mystery lovers fascinated with digital surveillance. Crisp, clipped chapters and numerous cliff-hangers propel the action at a breakneck pace. Finder’s outstanding writing and engrossing plot twists embellish a captivating summer read." -Library Journal (starred review)

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Part-Time Grim Reaper Charley is Back In Action

Posted on July 8, 2011 by Ali Fisher

Publishers Weekly just slapped a star on their review of SECOND GRAVE ON THE LEFT, the sequel to the RWA 2009 Golden Heart for Best Paranormal Romance, FIRST GRAVE ON THE RIGHT.

Part-time grim reaper, P.I. Charley Davidson, is solving two separate missing person cases, sorting out her love life, and trying to keep demons from accessing a portal to heaven (can somebody get this woman a cup of coffee?).

"Jones perfectly balances humor and suspense in her tight second paranormal thriller featuring grim reaper, PI, and "all-around badass" Charley Davidson. [...] The fiery relationship between Charley and Reyes will satisfy paranormal romance fans, but it's the distinctive characters, dead and alive, and the almost constant laughs that will leave readers eager for the next installment." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

And to get you in the mood, check out, FOR I HAVE SINNED, a Charley Davidson short here on HeroesAndHeartbreakers.com!

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Reimagining The Aftermath of 9/11

Posted on July 7, 2011 by Ali Fisher

Ten years after 9/11 former New York Times reporter Amy Waldman reimagines its aftermath in THE SUBMISSION.

Kirkus Reviews gave it a starred review and says, "This is a remarkably assured portrait of how a populace grows maddened and confused when ideology trumps empathy. A stellar debut. Waldman’s book reflects a much-needed understanding of American paranoia in the post-9/11 world.”

Booklist calls THE SUBMISSION “THE BONFIRE OF THE VANITIES for our time” in their starred review, and says, "Waldman brilliantly delineates the legacy of 9/11; the confluence of art, religion, and politics; the plexus between the individual and the group; and the glory of transcendent empathy."

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Shann Ray Reconfigures the American West

Posted on July 6, 2011 by Ali Fisher

The American West has long been a place where myth and legend have flourished. Where men stood tall and lived rough. But that West is no more. Shann Ray explores and redfines this changed landscape in AMERICAN MASCULINE, the 2010 Bakeless Prize for Fiction-winner.

"Think Hemingway or Jim Harrison, and know that Ray's collection is the deserving winner of the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference Bakeless Prize." —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"Ray's collection has an unsettling power as his roughened characters incrementally come to terms with their humanity, fallibility, and their realized capacity for atonement. This is a highly accomplished and intensely lyrical debut." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Ray’s taut, fragmented prose evokes the fragility of the male ego in stories so layered with tenderness and violence, hope and despair, that together they form a true and pure depiction of sorrow and a primer for forgiveness." —Booklist (starred review)

"AMERICAN MASCULINE does what the best fiction should: it breaks open the human heart with honesty and clarity, showing us the bad that exists alongside, and is often indistinguishable from, the good." —Shelf Awareness (starred review)

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Talia’s Pick: The Hypnotist

Posted on June 16, 2011 by Ali Fisher

If you've attended a book buzz, panel, or webinar featuring Talia this year, you were undoubtedly recommended THE HYPNOTIST by the pseudonymous couple, Lars Kepler. Booklist warned us of Talia's penchant for gore, so we all should have known this book would be right up her alley. I mean, come on, the cover is a pair of bloody scissors suspended over what looks like a pool of more blood. And just listen to this description:

In the frigid clime of Tumba, Sweden, a gruesome triple homicide attracts the interest of Detective Inspector Joona Linna, who demands to investigate the murders. The killer is still at large, and there’s only one surviving witness—the boy whose family was killed before his eyes. Whoever committed the crimes wanted this boy to die: he’s suffered more than one hundred knife wounds and lapsed into a state of shock. Desperate for information, Linna sees only one option: hypnotism. He enlists Dr. Erik Maria Bark to mesmerize the boy, hoping to discover the killer through his eyes.

It’s the sort of work that Bark has sworn he would never do again—ethically dubious and psychically scarring. When he breaks his promise and hypnotizes the victim, a long and terrifying chain of events begins to unfurl.

Publishers Weekly gave THE HYPNOTIST a starred review that reads, "The brutal slaying of gambling addict Anders Ek, his wife, and his younger daughter propels this outstanding thriller debut. [...] Readers will look forward to seeing more of Linna in what one hopes will be a long series."

Shelf Awareness calls it "extraordinary—a heart-pounding, enthralling story of madness and malevolence." And "a riveting story of obsession and revenge."

Booklist says THE HYPNOTIST has "a cracking pace" and that it "belongs on every international crime fan’s reading list."

If you're looking for a pulse-raising, blood spattered, fast-paced thriller, then THE HYPNOTIST is for you.

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QUINN: Getting Closer to Bonnie’s Killer

Posted on June 15, 2011 by Ali Fisher

When we ran a giveaway for copies of EVE back in February the response was overwhelming. This leads me to believe that you lot will be interested in hearing about the second book in Iris Johansen's current Eve Duncan trilogy, QUINN. This trilogy finally discloses the long-awaited details of Eve's daughter's murder.

As a former Navy SEAL turned cop, Joe Quinn has seen the face of evil and knows just how deadly it can be. When he first met Eve Duncan, he never expected to fall in love with a woman whose life would be defined by her dual desires to bring home her missing daughter and discover the truth behind her disappearance---no matter how devastating. With the help of CIA agent Catherine Ling, they make a shocking discovery that sheds new light on young Bonnie’s abduction and puts Quinn squarely in the crosshairs of danger. Eve’s first love, John Gallo, a soldier supposedly killed in the line of duty, is very much alive---and very much a threat.

Publishers Weekly gave QUINN a starred review and says, "As Eve seeks relentlessly to find closure in Bonnie's disappearance, she deliberately puts herself in harm's way to lure the killer connected with the missing children out in the open. Suspense kicks into high gear as the killer strikes very close to Eve. As the novel fast forwards to a present-day search for another killer, the pulse-pounding pace will leave readers breathlessly anticipating the final installment."

Library Journal calls QUINN "suspensful," "entertaining," and "an integral read for fans of Johansen’s Eve Duncan series."

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Now You See Me: The Creepy Summer Crime You Need

Posted on June 2, 2011 by Ali Fisher

S.J. Bolton's latest mystery NOW YOU SEE ME is covered in stars like midnight in backcountry Colorado. But you don't have to take my word for it...

"Bolton (BLOOD HARVEST, 2010, etc.) provides excruciating tension and much else. Romantics can drool over Jonesbury’s turquoise eyes; amateur psychologists can mull Lacey’s one-nighters; and Ripperologists can ponder theories of Jack’s real identity, one of which helps tie up the plot." —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"Bolton's fourth thriller, a complex psychological puzzler, stands head and shoulders above other such efforts featuring a modern copycat Jack the Ripper. [...] Avoiding gratuitous violence, Bolton (BLOOD HARVEST) skillfully plays with the reader's expectations. Minette Walters fan will be pleased." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Bolton’s latest gothic mystery (after BLOOD HARVEST) is almost impossible to put down. [...] The twists keep coming, and the truth is not revealed until the final page in Bolton’s best novel yet." —Library Journal (starred review)

Not convinced? You will be after watching the book trailer:

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The American Heiress: A Fresh Slice of Scandal Cake

Posted on May 17, 2011 by Ali Fisher

During this month's EarlyWord Galley Chat the conversation turned toward Daisy Goodwin's scandalous and luxe, THE AMERICAN HEIRESS. @EarlyWord expressed some confusion about the recommendation, "Talia recommended AMERICAN HEIRESS? But, it doesn't sound like there's any gore in it!" Fortunately Stephanie Chase (@acornandnuts) was there to clarify the appeal, "American Heiress is like a delicious piece of cake." We agree.

Library Journal gave THE AMERICAN HEIRESS a starred review that says, "Top-notch writing brings to life the world of wealth on both sides of the Atlantic. This debut’s strong character development and sense of place will please fans of historical romance, including book club members."

Publishers Weekly calls the story "lush," "propulsive," and "fresh." They also caught up with Goodwin to discuss her inspirations for her magnetic characters, clashing cultures, and explosive costumes. Read the full interview here!

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Mary Kay Andrews Galleys Seeking a Ride to the Beach

Posted on May 10, 2011 by Ali Fisher

[UPDATE]: I have sent out all of the galleys of SUMMER RENTAL that we had available. Thanks and enjoy!

The weather has finally taken a turn for the sunny here in NYC and it's time we all started thinking about swimsuits and sand.

I have a stack of galleys on my desk of Mary Kay Andrews' latest, SUMMER RENTAL, that need to find rides to the beach, ASAP. If you're an Andrews fan, or just looking for a book to keep you company in the sun, then shoot us an email with your name, library, and full mailing address and we'll send you a copy! Send requests to: Library @ MacmillanUSA.com

Library Journal highlighted SUMMER RENTAL in their "Women's Summer Fiction" section and gave it a big orange star. Their review reads, "Andrews (THE FIXER-UPPER) is at her warm and funny best with this story of three girlfriends who rent a beach cottage on North Carolina’s Outer Banks. A month of fun, frolicking, romance, and self-discovery ensues, while the arrival of a fourth roommate ratchets up the drama. Andrews simply excels at creating the kind of characters readers can relate to, and she has a fabulous sense of humor to boot. For all women’s fiction fans, especially those who enjoy ensemble fiction."

Publishers Weekly says, "This warm weather treat has a lot going for it, not least the sunny forecast that summer love can blossom into a four-season commitment."

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