Smells Like Dog

Author: Suzanne Selfors
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers;
Reprint edition (April 12, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 9780316043977

Book Description:
Meet Homer Pudding, an ordinary farm boy who's got big dreams-to follow in the footsteps of his famous treasure-hunting uncle. But when Uncle Drake mysteriously disappears, Homer inherits two things: a lazy, droopy dog with no sense of smell, and a mystery.

Why would his uncle call this clumsy dog his "most treasured possession?" And why did he put a gold coin on the dog's collar?

And who will continue Uncle Drake's quest-to find the most coveted pirate treasure in the world?

Join Homer, his sister Gwendolyn, and Dog on an adventure that will test their wits and courage as they leave their peaceful farm and head into a world where ruthless treasure hunters hide around every corner. Where they discover that Dog has a hidden talent and that treasure might be closer than they ever imagined...

My thoughts:

Great read for boy or girl age 9 through 14.

(Thank you to Hachette Book Group for my review copy.)

10th Anniversary

Author: James Patterson
Hardcover: 448 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company (May 2, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0316036269

Book Description:

For every secret
Detective Lindsay Boxer's long-awaited wedding celebration becomes a distant memory when she is called to investigate a horrendous crime: a badly injured teenage girl is left for dead, and her newborn baby is nowhere to be found. Lindsay discovers that not only is there no trace of the criminals--but that the victim may be keeping secrets as well.

For every lie

At the same time, Assistant District Attorney Yuki Castellano is prosecuting the biggest case of her life--a woman who has been accused of murdering her husband in front of her two young children. Yuki's career rests on a guilty verdict, so when Lindsay finds evidence that could save the defendant, she is forced to choose. Should she trust her best friend or follow her instinct?

There's a different way to die

Lindsay's every move is watched by her new boss, Lieutenant Jackson Brady, and when the pressure to find the baby begins interfering with her new marriage to Joe, she wonders if she'll ever be able to start a family. With James Patterson's white-hot speed and unquenchable action, 10th Anniversary is the most deliciously chilling Women's Murder Club book ever.

My thoughts:
Three words...suspense, suspense, suspense!!

(Thank you to Hackette Book Group for my review copy.)

A Heartbeat Away / Review

Author: Michael Palmer
Hardcover: 416 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
(February 15, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 9780312587529

Book Description:

On the night of the State of the Union address, President James Allaire expects to give the speech of his career. But no one anticipates the terrifying turn of events that forces him to quarantine everyone in the Capitol building. A terrorist group calling itself “Genesis” has unleashed WRX3883, a deadly, highly contagious virus, into the building.

No one fully knows the deadly effect of the germ except for the team responsible for its development—a team headed by Allaire, himself. The only one who might be able to help is virologist Griffin Rhodes, currently in solitary confinement in a maximum security federal prison for alleged terrorist acts, including the attempted theft of WRX3883 from the lab where he worked.

Rhodes has no idea why he has been arrested, but when Allaire offers to free him in exchange for his help combating the virus, he reluctantly agrees to do what he can to support the government that has imprisoned him without apparent cause.

Meanwhile, every single person in line for presidential succession is trapped inside the Capitol—every person except one: the Director of Homeland Security, who is safely at home in Minnesota, having been selected as the “Designated Survivor” for this event. With enemies both named and unnamed closing in, and the security of the nation at stake, Griff must unravel the mysteries of WRX3883 without violating his pledge as a scientist to use no animal testing in his experiments…and time is running out.

Tense, thrilling, and entirely plausible, A Heartbeat Away will make you reflect, wonder, and be truly afraid.

About the Author...
MICHAEL PALMER is the author of fifteen novels of medical suspense, all international bestsellers. His books have been translated into thirty-five languages. In addition to this writing, Palmer is an associate director of the Massachusetts Medical Society Physician Health Services, devoted to helping physicians troubled by mental illness, physical illness, behavioral issues, and chemical dependency. He lives in eastern Massachusetts.

My thoughts:

A Heartbeat Away is a true to life drama with all the suspense and thrill you would expect from a seasoned, best-selling author like Michael Palmer.

This book grabbed me at the first page and wouldn't let go; I hadn't changed my mind on the last page either. This is definitely one of Palmer's best. There is everything a good suspense novel needs to keep the reader happy--edge of your seat action, drama, and believability. This has it all. 5 stars*****

(Thanks to the author for my review copy.)

Toys / Review

Author: James Patterson Hardcover: 400 pages Publisher: Little, Brown and Company (March 14, 2011) ISBN-10: 0316097365 Book Description: James Bond and Jason Bourne have just been topped! A battle for the world is set into unstoppable motion and Hays Baker is the only one who can save it. Hays Baker and his wife Lizbeth possess super-human strength, extraordinary intelligence, stunning looks, a sex life to die for, and two beautiful children. Of course they do--they're Elites, endowed at birth with the very best that the world can offer. The only problem in their perfect world: humans and their toys! The one with the most toys--dies. The top operative for the Agency of Change, Hays has just won the fiercest battle of his career. He has been praised by the President, and is a national hero. But before he can savor his triumph, he receives an unbelievable shock that overturns everything he thought was true. Suddenly Hays is on the other side of the gun, forced to leave his perfect family and fight for his life. Now a hunted fugitive, Hays is thrown into a life he never dreamed possible--fighting to save humans everywhere from extinction. He enlists all of his training to uncover the truth that will save millions of lives--maybe even his own. James Patterson's Toys is a thriller on a hyper plane--with a hero who rivals both James Bond and Jason Bourne. My Thoughts: Although, the Book Description gives Toys a glowing review, my own experience is a bit different. Patterson seems to be putting out books faster than he can come up with good solid material. Yes, indeed, he may be smiling all the way to the bank, but it would be nice to if he would sit still for awhile and reconnect with his muse. Having said that, true Patterson fans will never turn down another of his works-- if only to add it to their personal collection. (Thank you to Hachette Book Group for my review copy.)

The Coming Economic Armageddon / Review

Author: Dr. David Jeremiah
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: FaithWords
(October 1, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0446565946

Book Description:
Never before have we read such jarring headlines, distressing news analyses, or dire predictions concerning the world's financial future. The American housing market -- or, more sentimentally, the American dream -- began to collapse in 2006, taking with it large chunks of the global financial system. Millions of jobs worldwide have vanished forever. Did Bible prophecy predict this catastrophe? Are there biblical clues to how soon, if ever, a viable, long-term recovery can be sustained? Is the financial collapse just one of several signs that we are living in the final days of Earth's history In THE COMING ECONOMIC ARMAGEDDON, David Jeremiah says we can know the meaning behind what we see in the daily news -- and understand and prepare for living in the New Global Economy.

My Review:
Caution: This book may be disturbing to sensitive readers.

The Coming Economic Armageddon is very sobering and even heartbreaking as we see that America is very likely on the verge of economic collapse.

Chapters include: The Fall of the American Economy; The New World Order; The New Global Economy; Satan's CEO; The Mark of the Beast; Financial Signs of the Times; God's Ultimate New World Order; and more.

This book has had very good reviews from other sources and appears to have solid facts which point to the "end times." 5 stars*****

(Thank you to Hachette Book Group for my review copy.)

Tick Tock / Review

Author: James Patterson
Hardcover: 416 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
(January 24, 2011)
ISBN-10: 0316037915

Book Description:
NYC's #1 detective, Michael Bennett, has a huge problem--the Son of Sam, the Werewolf of Wisteria and the Mad Bomber are all back.

The city has never been more terrified! Tick--a killer's countdown begins. A rash of horrifying crimes tears through the city, throwing it into complete chaos and terrorizing everyone living there. Immediately, it becomes clear that they are not the work of an amateur, but of a calculating, efficient, and deadly mastermind.

Tick--Michael Bennett is on the chase. The city calls on Detective Michael Bennett, pulling him away from a seaside retreat with his ten adopted children, his grandfather, and their beloved nanny, Mary Catherine. Not only does it tear apart their vacation, it leaves the entire family open to attack.

Tock--your time is up. Bennett enlists the help of a former colleague, FBI Agent Emily Parker. As his affection for Emily grows into something stronger, his relationship with Mary Catherine takes an unexpected turn. All too soon, another appalling crime leads Bennett to a shocking discovery that exposes the killer's pattern and the earth-shattering enormity of his plan.

From the creator of the #1 New York detective series comes the most volatile and most explosive Michael Bennett novel ever.

My Review:
As a James Patterson fan and collector, I'm always excited when another of his books comes out in print.

This one is not quite a good as some of his others, yet it is still a fun read. I enjoy, too, his style of short chapters. His writing is always mesmerizing and to the point--pager turners!

I'm giving this one 4 stars****(5 being the highest).

(Thank you to Hachett Book Group for my review copy.)

The Inner Circle / Review

Author: Brad Meltzer
Hardcover: 464 pages
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
(January 11, 2011)
ISBN-10: 0446577898

Book Description:

Beecher White, a young archivist, spends his days working with the most important documents of the U.S. government. He has always been the keeper of other people's stories, never a part of the story himself...Until now.

When Clementine Kaye, Beecher's first childhood crush, shows up at the National Archives asking for his help tracking down her long-lost father, Beecher tries to impress her by showing her the secret vault where the President of the United States privately reviews classified documents. After they accidentally happen upon a priceless artifact - a 200 hundred-year-old dictionary that once belonged to George Washington, hidden underneath a desk chair, Beecher and Clementine find themselves suddenly entangled in a web of deception, conspiracy, and murder.

Soon a man is dead, and Beecher is on the run as he races to learn the truth behind this mysterious national treasure. His search will lead him to discover a coded and ingenious puzzle that conceals a disturbing secret from the founding of our nation. It is a secret, Beecher soon discovers, that some believe is worth killing for.

Gripping, fast-paced, and filled with the fascinating historical detail for which he is famous, THE INNER CIRCLE is a thrilling novel that once again proves Brad Meltzer as a brilliant author writing at the height of his craft.

About the Author:
Brad Meltzer is the author of seven New York Times bestselling thrillers: The Tenth Justice, Dead Even, The First Counsel, The Millionaires, The Zero Game, The Book of Fate, and The Book of Lies. He is also the #1 bestselling author of the critically acclaimed comic books Identity Crisis and Justice League of America, and is the co-creator of the TV series Jack & Bobby. A graduate of the University of Michigan and Columbia Law School, he currently lives in Florida. To learn more about Brad, please visit him at http://www.bradmeltzer.com/.

My Review:
If you are looking for a thriller...this is it! Meltzer continues to write quality novels. 5 stars*****

(Thank you to Hachette Book Group for my ARC.)