Mal de Ojo is an easy, action-packed reading about Elias Butler
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Mal de Ojo is an easy, action-packed reading about Elias Butler.  D.C. Adkisson  keeps the reader wanting to turn each page to see what happens next and how the conflict is resolved.
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The House on Mango Street Book Review

 The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros is a story about a girl named Esperanza and her experiences of adapting to a new lifestyle as a Mexican-American immigrant in Chicago. Some of the overall themes in The House on Mango Street are racism, sexism, and growing up to be a young adult. This book was very easy to enjoy, but at times there seemed to be no overall connection that keeps the narrative of the book on track.
 While The House on Mango Street is an interesting and informative book, it has some flaws that it could definitely improve. For instance, the story was very disjointed and seemed to have no main conflict or series of hero cycle steps developing a single story. The shortness of the chapters helps the reader understand that a 12 or 13 year old was narrating the book, but it still throws the reader off a little because each chapter starts with a different subject, making it hard to follow the plot. Esperanzas adventures throughout the story are very interesting to read, but as a coming-of-age story, it is very specific to a certain group, making it difficult to relate to as a reader from a different background.
 Although it is difficult for readers to relate to the life of a young Mexican-American immigrant, it is still illuminating to learn about the life of Esperanza and how she dealt with everyday issues that are not as common in most places. As Esperanza describes in the book, it is difficult to live in a place where you cant speak the language. She describes being treated as if she was a second-class citizen just because her family did not have strong English-speaking skills. Even though the chapter structure in The House on Mango Street was hard to follow, it is still an effective way of getting an impression of a teenager writing about actual events in her life. The reader can understand the perspective of Esperanza better when they read the book because it shows her attitude and naivete towards her surroundings.
Overall The House on Mango Street is a good book. It has some structural flaws on how the plot runs its course but has some interesting views into the world of a child living in a rough neighborhood from a different culture. Esperanza deals with issues that most kids her age never will see until they are much older. The story is a little disjointed and has no main conflict, but it shows how relatable the lives of people from different cultures are to the lives of typical teenagers coming of age. Although it has some flaws, The House on Mango Street really opened my eyes and helped me understand the issues that Mexican-American immigrants face in their everyday lives.
180051
I found this book easy to read and enjoyable. The writing style masterfully blends action, emotion and description.

The characters the unwilling hero meets are so finely drawn I feel as if I know each one--a young lad with a pure heart and a ready smile, a beautiful, powerful woman and past friends who turn against him. As the stakes become higher, we wonder if Caleath can survive all his suffering, let alone reach his goal and free himself from the alien world on which he's landed or the wielders of dark magic who track him down.

When Caleath struggles ashore, supporting a well-fed man, I bonded with a hero who cares about his companion. I suffered with his pain from injury and exhaustion as I learned about his background on another world of slavery. The hero gradually reveals his flaws, which only endear him more as he fights and protects the people around him although they didn't value his admirable qualities. I want him to escape his enslavement from those who follow through the bitter cold and snow.

The beauty of the prose leads the reader into a thoroughly enjoyable experience.
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I wasn't sure how far I would get into a story concerning human trafficking, but the author did a very good job in handling this delicate and horrendous topic.

Others have written enough about the plot, so I will skip that portion of the review.
As with his first 3 novels in this series, the author has produced another fast paced, action oriented, quick read that focuses more on action than on relationships. Less yapping and more doing if you know what I mean.
NOTE : He does use the "Patterson format" of very short chapters...there are well over 100 chapters in the 360 page book. It didn't hurt the flow of the book for me, but some readers don't like the chapter breaks being that close together.

Laukkanen has created another group of despicable villains, people you really love to hate. He also creates sympathy for the "victims", and wraps up the story quite nicely while keeping one thread open for a possible next book.
I was happy that the quasi romance between the two detectives has been thrust to the side, as this issue took something away from the last book, in my opinion. The family issue with Stevens' daughter was well scripted without being overdone and one that any of us with a teenage daughter could appreciate.

Laukkanen's books are easy to read, mostly with a singular plot, and they have plenty of chase and catch activity to hold the readers interest. There are few if any "superhero" moments that you find in many of today's action thrillers and it is nice to have a few heroes who are pretty normal in what they can and can't do. They are even allowed to make a mistake here or there.

All in all, another solid effort from Owen.
Jim
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Ozzie Novak is having a bad day. It starts with him wondering why his newlywed wife has suddenly become very aloof. Then on the way to work, Ozzie gets in a street brawl. And then not long after getting to Novak & Novak Law Firm, federal agents show up with a sealed warrant and shut the firm down. But his dad collapsing from a heart attack while being arrested topped it all. Could the day get any worse? As a matter of fact, it does. Ozzie cant help but wonder, what has happened to his picture perfect life.

I enjoyed the character of Ozzie immediately. The more I read, the more I felt sorry for him. It seemed like he couldn't do anything right, no matter what. I am absolutely going to enjoy this new series, and knowing John Meffords writing, have no doubt that the rest will be as action packed as this one was.
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In The Brotherhood of the Rose, two orphans, Chris and Saul, were raised in an orphanage in Philadelphia until Eliot, their mentor and father figure took them in as adopted sons.  From an early age, he trained them to be his personal assassins.  After things go awry, he is now trying to have them killed.

 This thriller is loaded with action and takes place at a very fast pace, making the reading of the novel enjoyable.  Chris and Saul are well-developed characters.  I also enjoyed the concept of the novel about boys who were raised to be assassins, and operate together so well that they are almost like a single entity.  The novel has its down points.  There are significant logic and believability issues that can be hard to overcome at times.  All the same, the action and thrilling nature of the novel make it well worth reading.

Carl Alves  author of Blood Street
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I won this book in PDF format from drawing on a blog interview with author Lillian Duncan and read it straight through in one day. The mystery of an abandoned little boy who doesn't speak challenges Maven, a speech therapist on medical leave from her job. She agrees to be his foster mother, and tries to discover who he is. This action-packed, suspense-filled story with a touch of romance unfolds dramatically. This is the first book by Lillian Duncan that I've read, and I will definitely read more from this author.
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Jordan Mitchfield hears voices. He is home at Mitchfield Manor when two policemen arrive, pounding on his bedroom door. He makes a run for it out the window trying to escape, but gets caught and taken to a mental asylum. He knows who put the police up to capturing him; it is his older brother Nathan. Nathan and Jordan are sons of a billionaire media mogul who is dying from cancer. Nathan wants control of his fathers media empire and needs Jordan out of the way to obtain a controlling share of the company. Jordan knows no one in his family cares about him, but his father who is too ill to help him.

While in the asylum, Jordan still hears voices and believes he should be where he is, but not permanently. He knows he needs help, but can he find it with Dr. Seltzer? One night the door to his room is opened and another doctor comes to take him for therapy. He winds up in a pool of water that somehow helps him regress, with the doctors help, to visit his past. He visits various time periods from his past where he encounters himself at the particular age he was at the time the memory was made.
This regression was complicated and hard to follow exactly how this happened, but the story was filled with action and lots of tension which made it very interesting to read. There were a few swear words in the story for those readers who might be offended. There were only a couple of references to God, so if readers are looking for that particular element in a story, it is not very evident in this one. The characters were realistic and easy to relate to, making me eager to see who the story ended. It was short and very easy to read, and I quickly got involved in the tale.
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Ethan has been foot loose and fancy free for a long time, but he's been carrying a torch for the neighborhood girl he's known all his life. When he sees Marisol again the embers burst into flame. Marisol, now a lawyer in the office of the US Attorney General, has been in love with Ethan since she was fourteen years old!  Their proximity, as she is protected from the assassins targeting her, brings Marisol and Ethan together constantly and they admit their love. But their lives are both in jeopardy as the bad guys go for the kill. This fast-paced, action-packed thriller, with some really interesting plot lines, will entertain and enthrall you as the HRT goes into high gear to rescue Marisol.
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I didn't have a lot of expectation when I picked this up. I simply interested to read it after reading an excerpt in Prick. I'm looking forward to some no nonsense sexy read and I got it in Elias.

River Andrews, is a famous actress on the run from her messed up life in Hollywood. She then found solace and peace when she hitched a ride with Elias and end up in West Bend, Colorado.

Elias Saint, is a retired Navy with a busted leg, who is reluctant to return back his hometown West Bend, where his family is the social pariah. Having stumble upon River might just be the distraction he needs to endure going back home.

I enjoyed their small town romantic fling and Elias is such an interesting grumpy ass cum dirty talker. They have such a great chemistry together and some of their sarcastic banter give me some fun eye rolling moments.

Despite this isn't some profoundly deep read, I find both their characters are rather fleshed out. We learned a lot of their background and childhood growing up. I've met all of Elias brothers and I'm totally intrigue by Silas, his twin brother. I'm surprised that there is a mystery towards the end in regards to the Saint family. Can't wait to read the next one.
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Clyde Barr is the latest action hero to arrive in Erik Storeys debut novel, Nothing Short of Dying. Cut out of the same cloth as characters like Jack Reacher, Dewey Andreas and Pike Logan, the character Barr most reminds me of is The Executioner: Mack Bolan. Bolan was a one-man wrecking crew. A decorated Vietnam war vet who returns home to bury most of his family. When he discovers the mob is to blame, he becomes vengeance personified as he goes about dismantling them.

Clyde Barr shares a lot of those traits. Ex-military, soldier of fortune and recent graduate of a Mexican prison. All he wants is to disappear into the mountains and live off the land. A desperate phone call from his youngest sister, whom he shared a childhood that was beyond brutal, pulls him back towards civilization and nothing short of dying will prevent him from keeping his promise to come for her.

Storey does a good job of developing a character with a lot of rough edges and a believable amount of competency paired with a slightly excessive ability to absorb punishment. The action scenes are crisp, exciting and fast-paced. Barr is willing, if sometimes reluctant, to use people around him to assist in rescuing his sister. Most notable among these are Allie, the bartender he tries to help and ends up putting in harms way and Zeke, his former cellmate who is as amoral and ruthless as they come.

Storey doesnt sugarcoat the consequences and none of Barrs plans comes off without a hitch. The book lacks some of the polish of stories from other thriller writers, particularly when it comes to dialogue, but it is a very strong debut. Storey convincingly paints the rugged Colorado landscape along with plenty of action and a strong, flawed protagonist who looks like he has more adventures in front of him. I suspect subsequent entries in this series will get even better and Im looking forward to them. Recommended read.

I listened to the audio version of this book narrated by Jeremy Bobb. Bobb does a good job with the narration capturing the excitement of the action along with the rough edges of the characters, particularly Barr and Zeke. The narration nicely complements the story.

I was fortunate to receive an advance copy of this book for review.
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Ned Pinhey's second novel, utilizing Tom Gay as the detective-turned-attorney-adventure-seeking protagonist, is a fitting and exciting extension of HOLLYWOOD DICKS.  THE MORMON CARTEL blends a variety of historical tidbits with reality-based current affairs and results in an action-packed exciting story with many twists and turns that keeps the reader virtually on the edge of his seat, never knowing for sure where the journey will go next. The language is earthy and immediate, putting the reader into the middle of the action, almost as though one were conversing with the characters as they report the day's activities.

For anyone interested in detective and action novels, this is a must-read.  It is clear from the ending that there will be another sequel.  That is good news, since the style and characters  become fascinating and somewhat habit-forming.
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"Remains of the Day" is an overwhelmingly simple novel of an English butler and memoirs of his service for Lord Darlington, his favorite employer.  Novel situates itself in a pre-WWII era and converses through the war.  I will divide this review into three parts so I can cover most of the novel in the most organized way.

Stevens - The Perfect Butler-

Somewhere in the novel, Stevens says that he believes only English butlers can come close to perfection as a manservant.  After reading this novel, I must agree that he does a fantastic job as a butler throughout the novel maintaining his professionalism towards his employer, employer's guests and towards the rest of the servant-staff.  Even for the pre-WWII era, Stevens was highly advanced as a butler which is reflected by his methods of having intense servant interviews, "pep-talk" before major events and his daily meetings with the housekeeper in maintaining order of the Darlington Hall.

Romantic Stevens-

It is very sad to think that Stevens was never married or had children.  His life started with his loyalty and services to Lord Darlington and drained towards  his duties for Mr. Faraday.  There are various implications in his affection towards Miss Kenton (housekeeper in Darlington Hall), but he never confesses his love and attraction to her face. Towards the end of the novel, when he comes close to confessing his emotions, he finds out that he stands no chance to meddle in Miss Kenton's relationship with her husband, and backs away.

Stevens - a friend-

Throughout the novel, there are various incidents where Stevens takes onto unusual requests of services from his employer and guests.  For example, where he does the relationship talk with Cardinal, Jr.  Stevens' awkward sense of personalizing and frankness towards his profession makes him a unique person and a very interesting butler overall.

I loved this book and recommend it for an easy weekend read.
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The Sea of Iden by A. A. Smith is nothing short of fast-paced and gripping read that pulls you in from the very beginning.  Although the third book in the series and not having read the previous novels, I did not feel as though I was missing out in the least.  Smith was able to incorporate pertinent backstory effortlessly and in no way did it detract from the story.  Although the cultures may be imagined  United Earth Alliance and the Jarufani  the conflict between these entities is all too familiar.  How many times have you read about or been involved in a disagreement that was based solely on miscommunication?  Such is the basis for the discord between the U.E.A. and the Jarufani.  Determined to find an ancient artifact of their heritage, the Jarufani are convinced that the U.E.A. is behind its disappearance.  Although there appears to be no truth to this notion, the mindset is solidified.  Smith does an amazing job keeping the story flowing and the scenes action-packed.  Quickly developing both the plot and characters, the novel is an easy read and very difficult to put down once started.  With well-developed scenes and a backdrop grounded in politics, I am more than anxious to read the previous two novels in the series.  If you are looking for a quick, easy read that is full of intrigue and combat, don't pass this one up!
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"The Merchant of Death" by Cliff Happy is a really good story. Mind you, it's not literature, but it's a tightly written, engaging, and very modern day "good guys hunt and kill the bad guys" tale.

The story revolves around Mr. Happy's clever creation: a rogue self-appointed small group of assassins who take out terrorists. They're known as "Friends From Damascus." In this episode of their always dangerous existence, the rock-climber-womanizer Wolfgang teams up with the former Israeli with-a-bullet-lodged-in-her-head assassin Eve. They form a 2-person team chasing an arms dealer who is selling weapons capable of taking down airliners to terrorist groups. Later they join with all Wolfgang's group of "Friends" to finish off the project in Pakistan. While the Wolfgang-Eve eventual and predictable love story is a little bit sappy, the pair are nearly invincible.

Their adventure takes them to Berlin and Istanbul. The settings are suitably exotic and their near misses are classic super-hero stuff. Their escape from Berlin, the chaos they create in Istanbul train station, their rescue by the whole "Friends" team, and finally the assault on a mountain mesa in Pakistan (with the whole team) are exciting, if a little far-fetched. But the reader need not suspend disbelief very often. It's just a fun, fast-paced modern story set in the intrigue and fearsomeness of the terrorist world and those who supply weapons of destruction to them - an American no less. Actually, even if a movie is eventually made of this story, I think the printed word will win out over the movie.

Mr. Happy is a very good writer, seldom making errors in plot development or characterization. It's almost a page-turner at times. Hard to put down; easy to pick up, it's a fine read for those who like this genre.

A clear 4.4 on Amazon's scale.
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In "Warrior in Shadows", Charley Payne is a damaged soldier. A man tired or being a killer, but the warrior is so much a part of his soul that he cannot turn his back on it. He's ready to live his life quietly now as a Minneapolis, urban dwelling photographer. Enter Alfie Woodard; ex-Australian Special Forces, now a for-hire killer and Aboriginie Medicine man that kills not only for pay, but to increase his Spiritual powers.

Marcus Wynne has created a classic tagonist/protagonist character. In many ways Alphie and Charley are the same man that at some crucial point took different paths. Charley becomes reluctantly involved in the investigation of a series of ritualistic killings that smack of serial killer. However, Charley sees beyond what appears to be insane, into a world that few can travel. This leads to the inevitable meeting between these two Yin/Yang "brothers" in a showdown that pits Charley's hard earned, deadly skills of war and spirit against Alphie's equally deadly skills.

This is an extremely satisfying, quick read that takes place in Minneapolis and Australia.

Pick this one up, you won't be dissappointed!
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I love to read crime novels and to watch mystery television shows like CSI and Hawaii 5-O. I did not know that this book was part of a series before I read it. In this book, there was a lot of character development and the whole cast of characters seemed realistic which kept my attention. The plot seemed much like CSI and Hawaii 5-O where a team works together to solve a crime and then build a case. The world within the novel revolved around El Salvador's gangs, political issues, drugs and diplomatic immunity. This book is great for anyone who likes this genre of novel and would be perfect for Father's day or any other gift-giving holiday.