"Critical Reaction" by Todd M. Johnson

Critical Reaction (Nov. 19, 2013) by Todd M. Johnson.*

Things are not always as they appear. Kieran Mullaney survived a blast at Hanford Nuclear Reservation. In its days of operation, Hanford Nuclear was used for plutonium production. It was shut down by the Department of Energy and is currently under the eye of Covington Nuclear, where workers like Kieran routinely monitor and test for radiation in the air. So why would a place that’s supposed to be shut down rock from explosions? Kieran was on the “dark side” of Lab Building 5 (a.k.a. LB5) when it happened. Before losing consciousness, he saw the hallway’s monitors switch from green to red, indicating radiation in the air. (Covington denies that any radiation was detected.) Now concerned about the amount of radiation he may have been exposed to, he’s tried to get answers only to be ignored.

            Young lawyer Emily Hart answers Kieran’s call as a concerned friend. Kieran contacts her, desperate for representation, after his own lawyer backs out on him. Emily knows she’s in over her head on the case. In the two-to-three years since she passed her bar, she’s worked in a Public Defender’s office, taking small cases. This is her first civil suit in federal court. Her dad has the courtroom experience their team needs, but they’re not close. Will Ryan Hart agree to help?

            Eight months after the Hanford explosion, and Poppy Martin’s coughing fits haven’t stopped. Was he exposed to a large dose of radiation? He’s sent multiple e-mails to Covington’s head of Human Resources, only to be ignored. When he finally gets contact from them, it isn’t what he expected.

            Hanford is hiding something. Something very big and probably very dangerous. These characters all want to find the truth of what’s going on, but their searching for answers doesn’t go unnoticed. There are threats. If they keep searching, will their lives be in danger from more than potential radiation poisoning?

            I don’t read a lot of legal thrillers, and this was the first time I’ve read a Christian legal thriller. But the Christian aspect is so understated that it was hard to notice it save for mention of a person praying once or twice. I was pleasantly surprised by the quick pace of Johnson’s writing and the winding plot. There is legal jargon to give this legal thriller credence, but not so much that your brain goes on information-overload. “Critical Reaction” is smart, and I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys a well-written legal thriller.

* Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions are expressly my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

"The Dream Thieves" by Maggie Stiefvater

It would appear that multiple books I wanted to review based on my “Unofficial Criteria” came out this fall. Good thing I mentioned my Unofficial Criteria list, as last month contained one-book-only reviews!

            Here is another … (with possible spoilers ahead)

The Dream Thieves (Sept. 17, 2013) by Maggie Stiefvater.

In dreams, there be monsters. Just ask Ronan Lynch. As vexing as usual, Ronan has a very big secret. He can take things out of his dreams. Car keys. A wooden box. A Night Terror. The discovery of Cabeswater in the first book affects the storyline of this one. Ronan is tied to Cabeswater, but how? Why? Could the answer be at The Barns, the childhood home he’s been banned from since his father’s death? Ronan has a lot to come to terms with. Unhappy, handsome, vicious Ronan is more complex than he appears. He isn’t always a sarcastic, toxic drunkard. On rare occasion, he’s even kind … but don’t get used to it.

            Richard Campbell Gansey the III is a desperate man. Er, teenager. He is elite-of-the-elite at Aglionby Academy, like the picture-perfect poster-child of the school and even has a name practically reeking of importance. Surely he uses his suave side most of the time. But right now he’s desperately searching for the long-lost, practically mythological, Welsh king Glendower. He feels Glendower’s revival must be close since the awakening of the ley line, but he’s not finding him. Nor are his friends. Something is off about the line. Sometimes there are surges to suggest the ley line is overfed, but there are also outages to suggest that the line is starved.

            Seeing apparitions is not normal, yet Adam Parrish is seeing them. He has connected himself to Cabeswater, but he doesn’t know what the forest wants from him. What does he want for himself? Does he even know anymore?

            Blue Sargent is back in the story, though Noah Czerny isn’t as much. There’s also the appearance of the Gray Man. He’s been sent to retrieve the Greywaren for his boss, Dr. Colin Greenmantle. Unfortunately, he doesn’t know exactly what a Greywaren is. Is it a box?

            The second installment in Stiefvater’s The Raven Cycle is magical. Not magical in a nice-vacation-to-Walt-Disney-World way, but in a darker, more secretive way. The atmosphere isn’t light and fluffy; instead, it tends toward the tense, moody and brooding. That isn’t to say there aren’t light moments – there are – and there’s sarcasm. In more than one instance that sarcasm is based on dirty connotations, and there is some strong language (for those concerned). Through all of this, Stiefvater somehow melds completely different worlds with ease: old money with no money, the magical and the non-magical, the sensitive and the aggressive, the thoughtful and the reactive, and Ronan. Even with all the perspectives, this book is really Ronan’s story, and whether he likes it or not, he’s a young adult of opposites. Highly recommend!

            Book One in The Raven Cycle: The Raven Boys
            Also see: The Scorpio Races

GIVEAWAY: "Degrees of Wrong"

For the first time … I am having a GIVEAWAY!

This is a giveaway relating to “Degrees of Wrong” by Anna Scarlett. I haven’t read that book, but I am already a fan of her Syrena trilogy. The first two books are Of Poseidon and Of Triton, but were published under the name Anna Banks. The third book, Of Neptune, will be released next year.

            “What is the giveaway?” you ask. Answer: I have a limited number of bookmarks and sample booklets to give away. They are all autographed by the author.

            Entering is simple. All you have to do is comment on this blog post. This is a MUST! Do not shoot me an e-mail, send me a text or call me. You will be eligible only if you comment on this blog post. You don’t have to say anything elaborate. You can tell me ‘hello’ or let me know what you’re reading or just say you want to be entered. Just comment! You must be a U.S. resident to enter, because, I’m sorry, I’m not very good about getting to the Post Office. I will take comments through December 13, 2013.

            Again, I have a limited number of bookmarks and sample booklets available. I ask that you do not share your preference, as I cannot guarantee that winners will receive their number one choices. You do not have to know me to enter this giveaway, so please spread the word. Winners will be announced on or around December 15, so keep an eye on this post!

-- Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this Media Mail from the author. I was not compensated for having this giveaway or for promoting her book and am in no way personally connected to the author. Additionally, I am not obligated to purchase “Degrees of Wrong,” nor is anyone who receives a bookmark or sample booklet through me.

"Code Name Verity" by Elizabeth Wein

Do you ever notice those books others talk about but you haven’t yet read? You think to yourself that you must read it when you get the chance, but you don’t get to it right away because you forget/you have other books you want to read first/life happens. That was the case for me with this book, and I’m so glad I finally took the time to read it.

Code Name Verity (May 15, 2012) by Elizabeth Wein.

There is truth and there is “truth.” The story begins with Verity, an at-first nameless wireless operator. She’s a petite and pretty gal, captured in Nazi-occupied France because of an oversight on her part. Such a small thing, but so large in the big picture. Her bones haven’t been broken, but her captors have tried to break her all the same. She’s given them information, and the other prisoners think she’s a traitor. Now she’s writing down her story to prolong her life. Julie, who has gone by other names and is formally Lady Julia Lindsay MacKenzie Wallace Beaufort-Stuart, can be quite cheeky despite her dire situation. Surely it gets her in trouble and most definitely makes for nasty interrogations, but she will have her say. She will write and write until she can’t and when that time comes, she’ll know that “I have told the truth. I have told the truth.”

            Part 2 centers on Kittyhawk, who’s actually Margaret “Maddie” Brodatt. She is a pilot during a war that didn’t have many women pilots. Her interest blooms after she witnesses an aircraft crash. In fact, when she sees it, she applauds. This is done without thinking about the pilot and any physical harm that might’ve come upon the pilot. When they reach the aircraft, they discover that the pilot is a girl. A girl. And Maddie thinks logically to herself that since she’s never crashed her motorbike, surely she can fly an airplane. The crashed pilot, Dympna Wythenshawe, helps her pilot interests along. Her flying skills take a nosedive when she’s stationed as a licensed radio operator during the war. But not for always. She eventually finds herself in the air again, even running secret missions. All professionalism. No conversation. Until she crosses paths with Julie again. There is something great about spending time with one’s best friend. But how extra awful it is when they’re separated. Especially when Maddie doesn’t know where Julie is.

            This book is TOO MUCH. It is heartbreaking, sad, dangerous, horrible, powerful and wonderful. It is historical fiction personified. The research is apparent, yet it’s blended with the fictional writing so seamlessly. The plot is complex, the narrative is gripping, and the fear is almost tangible. “Code Name Verity” is a captivating-thriller-of-a-historical-young-adult novel. It is also a story of friendship and bravery and courage. It is a multi-layered story that is certainly not for the faint of heart. I highly recommend that you read this account of Verity and Kittyhawk. For they are a sensational team.

Rutabaga's Reads 2013: Part 14

The books for this compilation have been spread out over many months. I first saved this document, nicknamed “YA Reads 2,” back in April. It’s now already November! Yes, the following books all fall into the category of young adult. As before, I hope that you’ll read this post whether you frequently read YA titles, occasionally read them or refuse to read them but know people who do.

Fury (Aug. 30, 2011) by Elizabeth Miles.

Revenge is sweet in the fictional town of Ascension, Maine, but who’s on the receiving end? Emily Winters should be enjoying winter break. There’s no school, there are parties to attend, and handsome Zach McCord is finally noticing her. Perhaps he’ll invite her over to his house. But wait. Em shouldn’t want that, because Zach is the boyfriend of Gabby Dove. And Gabby Dove is Em’s best friend. Then there’s Chase Singer. He lives on the other side of town, but he doesn’t like it to show. He wears the right clothes, is star quarterback on the football team and can get pretty much any girl he wants. After all, he belongs. But Chase has a secret of cruelty. Luke 6:31 states, “Do to others as you would have them do to you” (NRSV). That may ring truer than Chase could ever believe. Who decides their fate? Enacts the revenge? In this case, three beautiful, mystifying girls. They’ve come to Ascension for a reason. They want to make people feel sorry for their wrongdoings … But sometimes sorry isn’t enough.

            Although I mentioned the verse from Luke, “Fury” isn’t at all biblical. Think more mythological. The concept is a good one, and the writing is solid; strong language is used more than infrequently. The three girls really are as cold as deep winter and are deadly to boot. “Fury” didn’t seduce me, but it held my attention most of the time. While there are paranormal elements, it isn’t only young adult paranormal fiction. It can also bring about discussion of bullying and vengeance. The girls are all about the latter and sometimes even the former to reach the latter. Perhaps it will be addressed in later books, but the big question for me was: Why them? What makes them any worse than anyone else performing the same cruel or devious acts? Why choose someone who covets another over one who, say, takes lives? And why do these girls get to decide? Can they be bested?

Of Triton (May 28, 2013) by Anna Banks.

WARNING: UNAVOIDABLE* SPOILERS INCLUDED

Big secrets are fun, right? Emma McIntosh already knows about the Syrena and what it is to be a Half-Breed, but of course the news doesn’t end there. Now she’s trying to digest the fact that her mother is a long-lost Poseidon princess. Nalia has momentarily returned to the sea, but Emma has to stay on land. Where does she belong? She’s a freak amongst humans and an abomination amongst Syrena. But it turns out her mom isn’t having an easy time of things, either. She’s been gone for so long, and seeds of doubt have been planted by someone in the Poseidon camp. Seeds that say that Nalia isn’t Nalia the long-lost, long-thought-dead Poseidon princess, even though King Antonis is convinced she’s his daughter. He would know his own progeny, right? The troublemaker, unfortunately, is doing a better job of turning his Loyals against the Royals than the Royals are convincing them of the truth. A Tribunal, unheard of for Royals, has been called upon them. Things don’t appear to be in their favor, which could mean a trip to the Ice Caverns for them -- for their eternity. Emma may be the only one who can show them that the Royals are telling the truth and the troublemaker is the liar. But will she reveal her Gift to both Syrena kingdoms and let all the pieces fall where they may?

            Like its predecessor, “Of Triton” is told from the alternating viewpoints of Emma and Galen. Also like its predecessor, it is infused with humor, teenage sarcasm and overall literary entertainment value. The romance between Emma and Galen continues to blossom, though it’s not steamy. There aren’t any new, major, supporting characters introduced in this installment, but we do get to know some of the other supporting characters a little more (e.g. King Antonis). I highly recommend this book to anyone with watery intrigue interests.

            Book One in the trilogy: Of Poseidon

* Might the spoilers actually be avoidable? Perhaps. But considering the spoilers I listed are included on the inside of the dust jacket, I deemed them ‘unavoidable.’

Sapphire Blue (Oct. 30, 2012) by Kerstin Gier. Anthea Bell, translator.

Oh, to be a time-traveling member of the Circle of Twelve! But really, Gwen Shepherd would rather be a normal teenager. Instead she’s having lessons of historical period correctness with the dramatically unpleasant grouch called Giordano (“just Giordano”) and her horrid cousin Charlotte Montrose. The striking, green-eyed, time-traveling counterpart of Gwen’s, Gideon de Villiers, is also around, but Gwen doesn’t really know what to think of him half the time. Sometimes Gideon’s as hot as a blazing fire, and her mind is more blancmange than actual mind. Other times he’s as cold as ice, giving her such frigid glares that her heart could shatter like glass. No one knows what the Circle’s completion really means, and any other truths out there are being kept from Gwen, which she thinks is hardly fair. Most of the members don’t trust Gwen. Where does Gideon stand? Does he see her as a trustworthy person or as a traitor? At least she has her best friend, Lesley Hay, on her side. And don’t forget her new friend Xemerius, a stone gargoyle that’s the ghost of a demon that no other living person around her can see.

            Questions remain unanswered in this second book, though some are coming to light. This YA novel of light science fiction is one I find captivating. There’s also light romance, secrecy, adventure and more than a few tense and embarrassing moments. There are reunions in the past, if that makes sense; there’s even a Japanese kitchen knife (for protection, of course). “Sapphire Blue” contains plenty of humor, though I feel I chuckled aloud more reading the first book. Either way, I found this novel to be entertaining. And Gwen is a [mostly] typical teenager who’s filled with gumption and worries, not to mention schoolgirl crushes. She seems more real than not, which is not a small thing in a world of science fiction.

            Book One in the trilogy: Ruby Red

Transparent (May 21, 2013) by Natalie Whipple.

It’s one thing to feel invisible and another to actually be invisible. Just ask Fiona McClean. Invisible from birth, Fiona is a criminal syndicate baby, daughter of Jonas O’Connell. He controls Las Vegas and the northern west: Sacramento up to Seattle and over to Boise. Due to a drug called Radiasure, an antiradiation pill, much of the population has at least some mutation in their genes. Fiona’s the only invisible person, though, while her dad is a charmer. Her mom’s ability lies with telekinesis. After her dad makes a demand unlike one he’s yet given her, Fiona and her mom flee to Arizona and the territory of Juan Torres. She enrolls at a place as normal as Madison High School, where most people are wary/afraid/jealous of her. She makes a couple good friends in the process – Bea and Brady – and befriends many others. She’s gone through life with no friends and suddenly she has The Pack. All it took was a change of scenery and the strength to get away. But can she stay away forever? Jonas doesn’t want Fiona and her mom back because he misses them; they are valuable tools, and he wants his possessions.

            Debut author Natalie Whipple takes the awkwardness and pain of being a teenager and turns it on its head by adding in a drug and genetic mutations that run the gamut of fantastical abilities (e.g. Strong Arms) and strange phenomena (e.g. a green person or a baby born smelling like roses). It’s whip-smart, fast-reading and totally entertaining. There’s a cuss word here and there, but it shouldn’t make anyone cringe too much. Fiona frets more often than I would like, but it’s easy to ignore with Whipple’s fun writing. She’s definitely gained a fan in me!

Venom (Oct. 30, 2012) by Fiona Paul.

Venice, Italy, is La Serenissima: the most serene. But underneath its veneer of serenity lies a Venice that is dark and dangerous, sensual and sinful. Cassandra Caravello is a young noblewoman of society, though she lives with her aunt outside of Venice on nearby San Domenico Island. She is grieving the death of a young countess friend, but when she goes into the cemetery to say goodbye, she discovers the body of a viciously murdered woman who’s definitely not Liviana. That same night she crosses paths with a handsome artist. His name is Falco da Padova. Falco stirs feelings in Cass that she has not felt before. That’s very troublesome on two levels: First of all, he’s a commoner. Second, she’s already betrothed. Her fiancé’s name is Luca da Peraga. Luca is away studying in France, so together Falco and Cass turn into amateur sleuths. Because it’s apparent that the murderer knows who Cass is, and he wants her dead. But why? Will the killer be captured before more bodies turn up? For all of Renaissance Venice’s beauty, Cass is going to find that the most serene city can be quite dirty and ugly. And no, I’m not just referring to the emptying of chamber pots into the street … though there is that, too.

            “Venom” is Paul’s debut historical mystery and romance novel. I like how each chapter was preceded by an “excerpt” from The Book of the Eternal Rose. Nothing is mentioned of that fictional book within the novel, but my guess is that it will come into play before the trilogy’s end. I think Paul’s world-building is believable; I could picture Venice vividly through reading the author’s writing. However, I felt like this book was 100 pages too long, but it is full of detail. There are some potentially steamy and/or more mature moments (for any concerned). “Venom” is fairly predictable, but this is not a bad story, as the reader can tell that Cass is emerging from her affluently naïve cocoon and learning about the world outside her, even when that world is next door.