Dark Matter

Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
Released July 26, 2016
Published by Crown
Rating: ★★★★★

If your family was stolen from you, how far would you go to get them back?

This book explores that question, but in a totally mindbendy, sci-fi thriller kind of way. It kind of bums me out that I can only give it 5 stars, because it was amazing. Unfortunately, I can't really reveal why, because it's nearly impossible to summarize this book without spoiling it. It's one of the reasons it took me so long to read this. I didn't realize from the blurb how great it would be. You're going to have to trust me.

I can say that I am SO not a sci-fi person. The concept of Schrodinger's cat (which plays an important role in the plot) alludes me despite all explanations. My brain just doesn't get science and especially not physics. But that didn't prevent me from loving this story. In the end, the driving force behind the plot is not futuristic science, but love.

I enjoyed every twist and turn in this exciting book, and, as promised, this is a page-turner. I also fell in love with all the characters, which is rare, especially in a thiller. I will say that I got so excited about what I was reading, that I tried to sell my non-reading husband on how great it is and he dismantled the entire ending portion of the plot in a nanosecond. And I'll never look at him the same way again. Outside of the influence of book-ruining smart alecs, Dark Matter is pretty flawless.

I hope that somewhere out there exists another, cooler version of me who was aware of Blake Crouch's talent before this point, and has read all of his previous books, because I can't believe it has taken me this long to discover this author.

The Yucks

I'd like to start by saying that as a long-suffering Eagles fan, I shed no tears for those of you over in Bucs Nation. Now, that that's out of the way...

The Yucks!: Two Years in Tampa with the Losingest Team in NFL History by Jason Vuic
On Sale August 30, 2016
Published by Simon and Schuster
Rating: ★★★★

Perhaps no professional sports team has been so ubiquitous for being so bad than the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They became a national joke, regularly featuring as the punchline on Johnny Caron's Tonight Show. They wore uniforms lovingly mocked as being creamsicle in color, and their winking, effeminate mascot was out of place in the testosterone driven world of the 1970s National Football League. Of course none of that would have mattered had they won. But they lost. Badly.

Starting in 1976, the Bucs would go on to lose their first 26 regular season games, some games failing to put up a single point on the board. Their owner was a notorious cheapskate who painted the team facility walls white so that he wouldn't have to buy a projection screen for reviewing game tape. His refusal to pay players would ultimately cost him Bo Jackson and super-bowl winning quarterback Doug Williams. The coach, John McKay, was a 1970s and more likable version of Chip Kelly. He exhausted his players with two-a-day practices in the triple digit heat, and his roster became a revolving door. It wasn't uncommon for a player to join the Bucs on a Monday and be gone by Wednesday. At one point, they tried out their Coke delivery man because they thought he might be able to kick balls. McKay became more famous for his one-liners than his coaching skill. When asked how he felt about his team's execution, he notoriously answered: "I'm all for it."

I'm a huge football fan. I would not recommend this book for people who aren't. If you don't know game terminology, you won't get a lot out of this book. For fans, however, both of the team and the sport, this book is a bit of fun to get you ready for the upcoming season.

The Memory of Things

The Memory of Things by Gae Polisner
On Sale September 6, 2016
Published by St. Martin's Griffin
Rating: ★★★★★

September 11, 2001. Kyle is part of the human stream flowing over the Brooklyn Bridge: to safety, and away from smoldering, smoking Manhattan. As he's crossing, he notices what looks like a giant bird perched at the edge of the bridge. Then he realizes it's not a bird. It's a girl. She looks lost and scared. She looks like she might jump. Kyle convinces her to follow him to the safety of his family apartment. He discovers she doesn't know who she is or what happened to her. And on top of dealing an amnesiac stranger (who he's quickly developing a bit of a crush on), his first-responder father is not answering his phone, he can't get a hold of his mother and sister who were supposed to fly out from LA that morning, and there's a disabled uncle who needs care. What happens over the course of the next 3 days changes Kyle forever.

For the most part, this book is everything a YA novel should be. It's been a couple of days since I read it, and the more I think about it, the more I like it. Kyle is mature without coming off like a twenty-five year old. I'm in love with the boy he becomes by the end of the story. I liked the realistic relationship he had with his parents and Uncle Matt. This is exactly the type of book I'd want my teen to read, and I enjoyed it a lot myself.

The One Man

The One Man by Andrew Gross
On Sale August 23, 2016
Published by Minotaur Books
Rating: ★★★★★

This book is part historical fiction and part thriller, and it completely blew me away.

America is in a race with Germany to develop the atomic bomb. If the Third Reich beats them to it, the consequences could be dire. But the Allied effort is lagging behind in their so-called Manhattan Project. What they really need is the expertise of a Polish physicist, Alfred Mendl. He's rumored to be one of only two people alive with the necessary knowledge to help build the bomb-- the other is working with the Nazis. Just one minor snag. Mendl is Jewish. And a couple months ago he was deported to Auschwitz. US intelligence hasn't had word from him since.

The US government devices a radical and risky plan. They're going to break Alfred Mendl out of Auschwitz, by sending another man in. Nathan Blum escaped occupied Poland once before. Since coming to America, he's been working as a translator in the army, waiting his chance to do something more. Something to help him make up for the debt he feels on his soul for surviving while his family left behind in the Krakow ghetto perished. But can he really agree to go back into Nazi territory, into a concentration camp no less? And to rescue a man who might not even be alive anymore?

The setting of Auschwitz for this thriller, combined with masterful storytelling and historical realism, raises the stakes for readers in a way few other in this genre can match. There were times I put aside my Kindle just to get my heart rate down. This is the type of book that's completely engrossing, even when it's horrifying. The author does an incredible job of recreating Auschwitz, along with the terror, and hope, within the wire fence.

This is one of my favorite new books for 2016. There were parts about the ending that disappointed me and felt a bit rushed. There's also a scene involving a cat that's pretty messed up. But I can't recommend this enough, especially for fans of historical thrillers.

Boy, 9, Missing

Boy, 9, Missing by Nic Joseph
On Sale September 1, 2016 
Published by Sourcebooks Landmark
Rating: ★★★★

This is a promising debut from author Nic Joseph that examines what happens when people can't move on from the past.

Alex and Kate Scroll experience every parent's worst nightmare. Their youngest son, Lucas, is found dead in their bathtub when he's 9 years old, seemingly the victim of a tragic accident while his parents were downstairs having a dinner party. But there would be no closure for the Scroll family. The young boy who finds Lucas's body, Sam Farr, son of that night's dinner guests, won't talk. Sam won't say what he saw, if anything, no matter who screams at him or threatens him. Thus, in desperation, the Scrolls wage a campaign against the boy, even having him prosecuted. But nothing sticks. Sam stays silent. And free: to grow up, to live his life, to have a son.

The tragedy breaks the Scrolls. Alex seeks comfort in a bottle, Kate in younger man, and older son Francis gets the hell out of dodge. Years later, Francis has changed his name and has almost no contact with his parents. But circumstances bring him back to his hometown of Lansing, Illinois, where he works as a journalist for the local paper and is trying to raise a teenage daughter. Not long after he moves home, the community is rocked again by another tragedy involving a young boy: 9 year old Matthew Farr is missing. Francis can't shake the feeling his father is involved.

How many generations must suffer for one tragedy?

The premise of this book is definitely intriguing, and it's well-written, but there were a few missteps that prevented me from giving it a full five stars. While Francis and Sam are fleshed out characters, many of the other central figures are cardboard. Even though the entire set of events revolves around what happened to Lucas, I feel like I barely got to know him. I thought the story tried to do too much and veered off into too many directions. That said, this book ended on a high note, as the ending is very well crafted. Overall, I really enjoyed this.

A Boy Made of Blocks

A Boy Made of Blocks by Keith Stuart
Published by St. Martin's Press
On Sale September 6, 2016
Rating: ★★★★

"Life is an adventure, not a walk. That's why it's difficult." 

3.5 stars

Alex's life is falling apart. His wife, Jody, has asked him to move out their home. The sticking point in their marriage is Alex's inability to connect with and parent their eight-year-old autistic son, Sam. He's struggling at his stressful job, and he's still carrying unresolved trauma from his childhood. So maybe it's not too surprising that he finds himself, in his 30s, bunking with a mate and sleeping on a lumpy air mattress.

Alex almost lives in fear of his autistic child. The thought of taking Sam to the park or spending any time with him alone is enough to induce a panic attack. Sam has been diagnosed with a high-functioning form of the disorder, but he's still different in a way Alex finds impossible to cope with. Sam is afraid of dogs, can't stand loud noises or crowds, has a narrow set of interests and food preferences, and tends to lash out violently when he doesn't get his way. For years, Alex's primary parenting strategy has been retreat.

Things start to change between father and son when Sam discovers Minecraft. Alex discovers that not only can he play the game with his son, but that the Minecraft world helps Sam open up parts of him that were locked shut before. The game helps Sam build his vocabulary, open up about his feelings about school, and learn to interact with other children. It's not a miracle. But it's progress. And that's everything.

I don't know any autistic children and have no idea whether the portrayal of Sam is accurate or not. However, as a parent, I could easily see parts of me becoming like Jody and parts of me like Alex. The issues in their marriage seem very realistic.

More than liking this book, I think I appreciate this book because of the importance of the topic it covers. At times, the story went a little slow for me, and I felt like Alex's drama with his sister and mother dragged the book down a bit. I also felt a little hampered by my complete ignorance about Minecraft.

The Couple Next Door

The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena

Published by Pamela Dorman Books

On Sale Starting August 23 2016

Rating: ★★

I've read this book before.

Well, ok, not this book, but I've read many of its fraternal twins, and the gene pool is starting to feel a bit shallow to me.

The Couple Next Door has an interesting hook: a six month old baby disappears from her crib while her parents are next door at a dinner party. It reminded me of the Madeline McCann case, and I was interested to see how the plot would develop. However, reading this book was at times like playing thriller bingo. The couple that seems perfect from the outside but is hiding deep, dark secrets? Check. A hyper-emotional, weak-willed woman who struggles with basic life skills and is increasingly made to feel unattractive and irrelevant by her seemingly loving husband? Yep. A cast of unlikable characters and a local police force that can't solve its way out of a wet paper bag? You bet.

But this book has problems beyond being derivative. The story starts strong, but deteriorates as it progresses. The writing is lackluster. Marco is a uniquely unsympathetic character, and I was so disappointed at the author's decision to portray him as a victim. What had the potential to be a compelling plot dissolves into a macho pissing match between Marco and his father-in-law. Poor, missing baby Cora gets lost in the fray. While this book certainly isn't horrible, it's impossible for me to recommend when there are so many other, similar thrillers that are executed better.

The Replacement Crush by Lisa Brown Roberts

Vivian is a book blogger.



She's obsessed with romance novels and spends her free time surrounded by them, from running a lonely hearts book club to working part-time at her mom's bookshop to raving about hunky heroes anonymously on the internet. Up until now, seventeen-year-old Viv's knowledge of love has come entirely from in between the covers... book covers, that is. But that changes when her long time crush, Jake, takes notice of her over the summer. They start sneaking off for clandestine make out sessions on the beach at night.

So it's all coming up roses for our fair heroine Vivian. Until the first day of school comes and Jake makes it clear he and she are not a thing. Were never a thing. He was just bored. Yep, he's that guy.

Heartbroken, Vivian decides to make a list of guys who are safe to crush on. It becomes an all-consuming mission (helped by a healthy dose of channeling Spock), and her number one requirement is lack of chemistry. Too bad she meets Dallas, the new guy. He's nerd-hot and a perfect match for her, but she won't let herself get close, worried about getting hurt again. Still, it's hard to deny the attraction between them, and Dallas isn't giving up on becoming her replacement crush. But Viv is playing a dangerous game and just might push him so far away that he's gone for good.

This is a cute, sweet book that's easy enough to devour in a single sitting. Dallas is the perfect book boyfriend. Not the least bit realistic, but he's fun to read about and has great chemistry with Viv. Vivian's friends were fun, and it was nice to read a book with drama-free, supportive girl friendships. Viv herself came across as younger than seventeen, and her mission became a bit tiresome and the concept a bit convoluted, which are my only real criticisms of this book. If you want to get lost in a fun, innocent romance with plenty of book nerd and straight-up-nerd references, consider this one.

This book will be published on September 6 2016 by Entangled Teen

Rating: ★★★★

Behind Closed Doors by B. A. Paris

Rating: ★★★★★

When Grace meets Jack, it's as if all her dreams are finally coming true. Jack offers a future: marriage, children, a perfect house and a charmed life. Best of all, he's accepting of Grace's deep commitment to her younger sister Millie, who has Downs Syndrome. In fact, Jack is excited to have Millie come live with them. Too excited...

This book is truly chilling. The author creates a world that's horrifying without any graphic violence or gore. The beauty in the story is its simplicity. As a reader, you feel like you're living Grace's torment. Everything from the writing to the pacing to the characters is just pitch perfect. This book is a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers.

Things I appreciated about this book and would like to become a trend in this genre:

• ONE PERSPECTIVE! This story is told entirely in Grace's voice. Now I believe this was a conscious choice by author B.A. Paris because she could have easily included snippets of what the neighbors were thinking, or Millie's school master, or even Jack. It probably would have made it to publication in that form. So thank you, thank you Ms. Paris for having the restraint to stick to one narrator.
• No police! I enjoy a police procedural as much as the next person. However, more and more I'm seeing the police thrown into thrillers almost as props. Like they have to be there to make the story seem credible, but it's clear the author has no idea what the police actually do for a living. Do the research or leave them out.
• Likable characters. Grace gets duped, but she is a good person. Esther and Millie are also both good eggs.

This book will go on sale tomorrow, August 9, published by St. Martin's Press

All the Ugly and Wonderful Things, by Bryn Greenwood

God, I hate feeling left out. Have you ever read a book everyone else loved, but you were like:

I feel you Ben Wyatt. And it was just a dumb, kind-of-small horse. Don't let anyone try to convince you otherwise.

It seems like people either love or hate this book. I went into it with a lot of hope from all the five star reviews, but also aware that the subject matter might have me wanting to throw it across the room. I was prepared for a heart breaker and a moving experience. However, much to my surprise, I felt... nothing. I meh this book. For me, this was nothing more than an average, if somewhat uncomfortable, read.

Yes, I was disturbed by a 26 year old man having sexual relations with a 13 year old. The fact that Kellen was the only parental figure Wavy had ever known and had been caring for her since she was 8 only made the matter worse. I guess I'm supposed to think that what Kellen and Wavy have isspecial and that their inappropriate relationship makes sense for these characters. But isn't that what every pedophile thinks? That the world is just ignorant to their unique love? That it's different for them? Consider me unconvinced.

Outside of the controversial aspect, I'm not sure what this book has to offer. I found that when I wasn't horrified reading about neglected children, domestic abuse, drugs, and pedophilia, I was pretty bored. There's no question this book is well written and the characters well developed, but not in any way I enjoyed. I didn't even like Wavy, although I did feel sorry for her. I don't think she had any appreciation for what her Aunt sacrificed for her. The only characters I connected with or really cared about were Amy and Donal.

This book will be available for purchase on August 9 2016 and is being released by Thomas Dunne Books

Rating: ★★★

Playing Dead: A Journey Through the World of Death Fraud

Can someone really fake their death in 2016? In the era of the internet, Google Earth, and surveillance cameras? In Playing Dead, Elizabeth Greenwood tackles that very question. With a mix of humor and dogged determination, Greenwood covers every aspect of death fraud-- from the investigators who hunt down the not-really-dead before their benefactors can cash in on bogus insurance claims, to the failed death fakers themselves. She even goes as far as to fake her own death via the active fraud network in the Phillipines. It's depressingly easy to attempt-- Greenwood's connections have no problem tracking down a body to unwillingly become the fake dead her-- but staggeringly difficult to master. No one ever contacted her to boast a successfully faked death.

I really enjoyed Greenwood's writing style. I did lose a bit of steam during the chapter on the "believers"-- otherwise normal seeming people who insist celebrities like Michael Jackson are not only alive but sending them coded messages. I know padding when I see it. However, on the whole, Playing Dead is a delightful book with an interesting premise.

This book is set to be published on August 9th 2016 by Simon & Schuster

Rating: ★★★★★