Verasity is about a dystopian society where freedoms are sacrificed for safety and the greater good. The book follows Harper, an agent of the government, as she tries to escape a society where certain words are denied and actions of citizens are continously monitored. This is a vivid and frightening read - one not easily forgotten.  In the same vein as Huxley or Orwell, Bynum's take on a dystopian future is a thrilling, thought-provoking tale.

 

-Drew & Christel 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joe Hill just keeps getting better.  You can read my full review over on the reviews page.

 

-Drew

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Unit is a very interesting story set in a society not too unlike our own. In this society, people reaching a certain age - those who don't have family or jobs deemed vital to society - are sent to units where they are farmed for their organs. In the Unit, people are pampered and well-taken care for and for some life there is easier, even better, than life outside the Unit. Life inside the Unit is simple and comfortable, but in the end there is a price to pay for complacency.

 

-Christel 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And yet another full review over on the reviews page.

 

-Drew

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Matthew Flaming's debut novel, The Kingdom of Ohio, is a gem of a book; pitch perfect in its evocation of time and place (turn of the century America), full of character and nuance, and with just enough twist and turns thrown in to keep the reader occupied, but not enough to lose them completely.  Definitely one to keep an eye on.

 

-Drew

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My, I've been doing a lot of full reviews recently, haven't I?  That's because the last couple weeks, for whatever reason, have seen a wealth of titles that I really, really like.  Johannes Cabal certainly belongs on that list, and my full review is here. 

 

 -Drew

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A debut that's one of the best portrayals of adolescence I've read in a while, as well as a dead-pan riff on noir detective novels.  You can read my full review here.

 

-Drew

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A new debut that's very exciting.  You can read my full review here.

 

-Drew

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Award winning author Nina Kiriki Hoffman returns to the LaZelle family (first introduced in Fistful of Sky).  In this novel Opal, the oldest of the LaZelle siblings is working on another monster movie.  With her magical talents boosting her make up skills she has landed the job as personal make up artist to the films monster, played by Corvus, an actor she has more than the usual professional regard for.  However, there is something deep, and dark, and old in the environs of Lapis, Oregon and Opal's work on Corvus has left him open to its influence.  Now she is a handmaiden to the 'Dark God' and the object of her affections is possessed.  It will take all of Opal's skill (and a little help from friends and family) to un-possess her beloved, reclaim her power from the DG, and bring the movie in on time and something like on budget.  If she doesn't get an Oscar for her make up she should definitely get a medal for going above and beyond the call of duty.

 

 

 

So it's no secret that McKinty is one of my go-to names in fiction crime writing; his Forsythe trilogy (sadly, now out of print) was for many years my pinnacle of the genre.  Thankfully, he hasn't gone off his game when switching publishers - Fifty Grand is just as gripping a narrative, with just as many twists and turns.  McKinty made a bold decision to step out of his comfort zone with his new title - trading his traditionally male, Irish, violent protagonists with a female, Cuban, as-yet-untested lead - but it refreshes his writing in ways unexpected and somewhat overdue.  Highly recommended to suspense or crime lit fans.

 

-Drew