Month: January 2018

Plague, Chaos, Death, Destruction, with some Supernatural Thrown in…”Year One”, by Nora Roberts

Year OneWho would be your first guess as an author of a book which begins with the plague, chaos, death, destruction, with some supernatural thrown in for good measure? It is an apocalyptic end of the world scenario. My guess would immediately be Stephen King. But, I would have been way off the mark. Usually known for her feel good, comforting books, author Nora Roberts has ventured into a different genre which includes all of the above mentioned subjects. There is no one central character, or no immediate love story, but some current oriented topics with several interesting characters involved.

Reviewers have been pleasantly surprised by Robert’s ability to transition into a darker world than any of her 200 previous novels have entered. Readers were happy that she did recover the book in the middle to show the new beginning of the survivors, after the assault on the population from several different directions. There are many happy, bright scenes as the new beginning takes place. Roberts follows the various characters who lived to carry on. There are still dark spots to be dealt with, but nothing as terrifying as they already survived.

Year One is the first in a new trilogy. For those who may have been left wondering about some subjects at the end of this book, there are two more books on the horizon that may have your answers. With book one of the trilogy by author Roberts, “the end has come……the beginning comes next”.

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Snakes, Professional Grave Robbers, 90 Year Old Grandmothers, and a Plethora of Corpses…”Hardcore Twenty-Five”, by Janet Evanovich

WonderHard Core 24 is the most current in the Stephanie Plum series of books by author, Janet Evanovich. Having written 23 other episodes, the 24th has proven to be in keeping with the hallmarks of her writing. Her new offerings come out about every Thanksgiving time, and her reading fans are never disappointed.

Meandering through a Stephanie Plum mystery may take you down many roads before you reach the final page. In the 24th book, Plum arrests a looney professional grave robber, but before she can take him in, he requests that she babysit his boa constrictor, Ethel. She tells him that she will do it, but if Ethel gives her any trouble, that she does own a stun gun. It would take more than a stun gun for most of us to agree to watch a huge snake that is capable of killing. As if that were not enough on the bizarre side, things turn even darker.

Plum is confronted with headless bodies being spread around town, discovering that they are coming from a funeral home and morgue. But then, a homeless man is found murdered and dumped behind a church. Now, time is of the essence in finding the killer. Plum is very capable of tracking down this killer, but learns that she has competition from bounty hunter, Diesel, who knows no limits when he is in pursuit of a perpetrator. The locals who are interested in competing bounty hunter, Stephanie, are not pleased that Diesel has appeared out of nowhere.

What sounds like a very serious murder mystery is actually filled with humor. Stephanie’s 90 year old Grandma Mazur gives hysterical scenes that will have the reader chuckling, and Lulu adds to that humor with her antics. It is a successful author who is able to peak the interest of her readers with characters whom they know very well from the previous 23 books. It takes talent to combine big snakes, professional grave robbers, 90 year old grandmothers, and a plethora of corpses into a #1 New York Times bestselling novel. Readers have already exclaimed that they are eager to read #25.

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Integrity, Trust in God, and the True Power of Forgiveness…”Higher is Waiting”, by Tyler Perry

WonderWhen one thinks of Tyler Perry, the actor, we think of his comedic character Madea. He created the character which has brought him much recognition and success as actor, director, and producer of the Madea movies. However, with the publishing of his book, Higher is Waiting, Perry also adds serious author to his resume.

The novel is very poignantly written, describing Perry’s life in vivid, moving prose, even though his early childhood and life were filled with brutality, depravation, and fear. He chose to be thankful for those people who helped him survive, rather than dwelling on the negatives. He gave praise to people such as…….his Aunt Mae who gave care to her grandfather, and who was born a slave and sewed quilts that told generational stories; Mr. Butler, a blind man who sold penny candies; and, his beloved Mother, Maxine, who endured abuse, money problems, and the daily struggle growing up in the old south. Perry very tenderly creates portraits of these people who taught him the important life lessons of integrity, trust in God, and the true power of forgiveness.

One reviewer says this of Tyler Perry…….despite his experiences early on in life, and despite having that natural ability to “sniff out” danger or ill intention, Perry has managed to develop an accepting and loving graciousness toward people, even toward those who have wronged him.

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