Category: Adventure

Dark Matter

Published on by Kathy Lauren Miller8 Comments

Dark matterDark Matter, by Blake Crouch, is a mind-boggling foray into the world of Multi-Verses.  This novel is exciting and terrifying by turns,  and it gives rise to questions of our universe. Jason Dessen is a college professor of physics in Chicago, and  husband to the beautiful artist, Daniela and a father to their son, Charlie. His life is picture perfect and he’s happy, except there are the times when he wonders what turn his life would have taken if he’d stayed with his research instead of marrying and having a child.  One night he goes to meet a colleague who has won a great scientific prize, the one he should have won.  That’s when improbablity meets probability.

This novel is based on the idea that our lives are a matter of random choices with equally random outcomes, but with far reaching consquences. What if we’d taken another path, instead of the one we are on?  What if another version of Jason Dessen, the one who didn’t marry, who did the research that enabled him to change his destiny,decided he wanted the other Jason’s life?

This fictional account is well written and researched. It poses many questions about our universe. It’s a great read!

 

Court of Mists and Fury

Published on by Kathy Lauren Miller4 Comments

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Eventually, I got into the story and it was surprisingly good. Though the first few chapters put me off and I think they could have been improved on. Having said that, the rest of the novel was  exceptional for a fantasy novel.  It was the initial graphic sex sequence that put me off more than anything and fortunately, there was only one more.

The characters of Rhys and Feyre are fully realized and totally believable. They are exceptional characters and I fell in love with both of them. Though I’m not generally a fan of fantasy, I was able to suspend my disbelief and I cheered for both of them.

Feyre is a woman who graves independence over love and protection. She is her own woman and consequences be damned. I love that about her! Rhys is a man for all seasons. His evolving love for Feyre is clear and concise, and he is ready to sacrifice himself to not only save her, but to save his people. He wants to protect her, but he also recognizes she cannot be owned. She is his equal partner in everyway.

The writing is terrific, filled with emotion and gut wrenching moments. The story moved forward in a logical progression with twists and turns that kept my interest. There were times when some of it fell a bit short, logically, but all in all it was a great read. The ending is a cliff hanger with a promise for more danger and excitement in the next book. I anxiously await her next installment in the series.

Mystery, Twists and Suspense

Published on by Kathy Lauren MillerLeave a comment

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The mystery hangs on the statement: Don’t Order Dog

The Ice Man Cometh is a well crafted mystery and suspense novel about corporate terrorists with a twist. Witty and horrifying at times, C.T. Wente keeps the reader engaged and guessing until the end.  From India to Amsterdam and China to a weathered old saloon in Flagstaff, AZ named, Joe’s Last Stand Saloon, the reader is catapulted across continents and back to the USA. Things get really interesting when the CIA, NSA and Homeland Security agencies spring into action as a result of misinformation and their missions collide causing a full scale investigation that brings down more than one agency. Both exciting and thought provoking, The Iceman Cometh is a great read and what’s more, a sequel is sure to cometh!

Award Winning Coming of Age Novel

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Printz Award-winning author Meg Rosoff’s coming of age novel is an unforgettable page turner about a very unusual girl. It is also about the relationship between her parents, love and loss and ultimately, betrayal.

The one person you trust the most to tell you the truth has kept a secret, one that would shed a light not only on their past, but would call into question everything you thought you knew about them.

Mila, our young protagonist, has an exceptionally strange talent. She has the ability to ferret out secrets and clues most other people overlook. She can read a room, body language and people’s emotions as she pieces together the mystery surrounding her father and his missing friend. Equally funny and irreverent, Picture Me Gone is a delightful read that pulls at your heartstrings.

 

 

Against the Odds

Published on by Kathy Lauren Miller1 Comment

41-YkFaghDL__SX302_BO1,204,203,200_ This is the ultimate survival story, with a twenty-first century Robinson Crusoe hero, but on Mars. Any Weir has crafted an amazing account of a what if scenario. What if one of our astronauts was stranded on Mars? What if a rescue was a big if? And even if a rescue was possible, it would take years to get back there. It reads like an actual account, filled with science and technology (which computer and math nerds will swoon over) and page turning suspense. Our hero, Mark Watney overcomes one daunting disaster after another. It’s funny and heartrending and utterly believable. I’m a Lit-chick, but honestly, I couldn’t put this down.

John Green’s Paper Towns

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PaperTowns I’ve read all of John’s novels, most notably the Fault in our Stars and Looking for Alaska, but Paper Towns was unexpectedly good. I had no idea that there are actually paper towns on maps. These towns are just sort of place holders; not really towns at all. Quentin Jacobsen has been enthralled with Margo since forever. She’s an enigma and when she mysteriously disappears,  he’s left with a convoluted set of clues that seem to lead him everywhere and nowhere. Paper towns are the easiest to find. Paper Towns is a rumpus of a novel, both funny and heartbreaking as many coming of age renditions are.

Delphi Altair, Strange Beginnings

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Delphi_Altair_Second_Edition_10-2014__4_Sample  Praise for this epic new fantasy by K.D. Dowdall, a delight for the young and the young at heart.

This mysterious, magical and thrilling debut novel is an epic fantasy adventure, one that will capture the imagination with its vivid, compelling characters and K.D. Dowdall’s exceptional storytelling skills.

It begins with an ancient, mysterious journal and with a girl, Megan, who is grief struck over the loss of her mother. The journal weaves a story that enthralls Megan and soon she is whisked away on a journey that is just as thrilling as it is dangerous. Megan and her friend, Donovan embark on a treacherous journey into the unknown along with Delphi and her protector, Nikkos, a strange alien being from afar.  Little does Megan know that her life is about to change in a way she could never have imagined.