Robyn Carr, delivers another smart, funny and emotional novel about the small Oregon town of Thunder Point. Her main characters, Grace Dillon and Troy Headly, find each other and decide to get to know each other better. Complications from the past make themselves known. They try to overcome the discovered knowledge. Troy tries to help Grace find the life she has always wished for.
Grace was a champion figure skater, but chose to escape to Thunder Point to escape the hectic world of being in the limelight. She found Troy as a friend with benefits, but also as an advocate, who stepped up as a friend first, and then as a lover. Carr’s stories are like “comfort food for the soul”.
The New York Times bestselling author, Danielle Steel, has sold more than 800 million books in her career. Her newest novel, Prodigal Son, has debuted at #1. She has been hailed as one of the world’s most popular authors. Besides her well known best sellers, she also wrote a novel about her son’s life and death, a memoir about her work with the homeless, a book about all the dogs she and her family have had, and a children’s book.
Prodigal Son is about twin boys who, even though growing up in the same family and same town, are very different. So different, that they become bitter enemies. They are separated when one twin leaves town and one stays behind. But eventually, the “prodigal son” returns home after twenty years. The relationship between the two seems like old “injuries” had been healed, but eventually the truth of their good and evil comes out. Steel “tells a brilliant, suspenseful story of suspicion, betrayal, and life-and-death struggle for survival………which twin is good and which is evil………the tables turn again and again”.
Prodigal Son is powerful and filled with complexity in subject and characters. It is “a riveting novel of secrets, salvation, and redemption from master storyteller, Danielle Steel.
British author, E. L. James, published a highly controversial novel about erotic romance. Fifty Shades of Grey is the first in the Fifty Shades trilogy, published in 2011, with the second and third volumes, Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed, published in 2012. The trilogy follows a maturing relationship between characters, Anastasia Steele, a college graduate, and Christian Grey, a young, billionaire businessman. The novel is noted for it’s explicit mental visual of sexual practices involving “bondage/discipline, dominance/submission, and sadomasochism (BDSM)”.
The series has sold over 100 million copies worldwide. It set a record in James’s own country, the United Kingdom, as the fastest selling paperback of all time. Critics have given mixed reviews of the novel with the sexual content and less than perfect prose. However, the film adaptation is due out on Valentine’s Day 2015.
Fifty Shades of Grey, the movie, is directed by Sam-Taylor Johnson. The novel, which became a global phenomenon, .stars Jamie Dornan as Christian Grey, and Dakota Johnson as Anastasia Steele. The other two novels in the trilogy have been confirmed to be upcoming sequels to the current movie. The rumor is that Dorman and Johnson (daughter of Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith, and in her first major role) did not get along very well, so there is a question of whether they will star in the sequels.
Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg continue their very popular series, beginning with the bestseller, The Heist, in their second novel, The Chase. The two main characters of Nicholas Fox, thief and general con artist, and Kate O’Hare, FBI Special Agent, return for this adventure.
The theft of a priceless Chinese artifact from the Smithsonian is the object of The Chase. Fox and O’Hare must try to solve the case under the radar, because public knowledge of the theft would destroy U.S. and China relations. The thieves are experienced professionals who work under the guise of a security firm. Fox and O’Hare must rely only on their band of inexperienced, irresponsible, and elderly (at least to be doing this kind of job) crew, which includes Kate’s Dad.
The plan to reclaim the stolen property leads Fox and O’Hare from Washington, DC to Shanghai, and from Scotland to Montreal. The pair will need to swap a forged national treasure within the Smithsonian, for the real deal which was stolen by the deadly serious professionals. They face death threats, trained henchmen, sleepless nights, but it will take much more than that to outsmart Fox and O’Hare.
The very popular author, Danielle Steel has delivered another very strong novel that is in keeping with her many other works. She is known for weaving some of her own family history into the subjects of her novels. One critic said, “never has the male been wealthier or more handsome, and the female has impeccable breeding with exquisite hair”. Her millions of readers have come to expect a certain theme, and she once again gives them what they expect.
As the novel begins, World War II is ramping up. It follows an aristocratic German family who is seeking refuge in America for themselves and their beautiful Lipizzaner horses. The horses become their ticket to a new life in America with a promised job with Ringling Brothers Circus. The story follows another family trying to survive in war torn Europe, while the previous family struggles to adjust to circus life.
The story spans several generations and countries; “giving a rich, involved tale of transformation, perseverance, fate, love, and loss, tied together by two families who were never meant to stay apart”. Ironically, it is a beautiful stallion that links them together forever.
Danielle Steel is one of the most popular authors of all time, with over 600 million copies of her novels in print. She has included some very personal subjects such as, His Bright Light, a story about her son’s life and death; A Gift of Hope, about her work with the homeless; and Pure Joy, about the dogs her family has loved.
Author Nora Roberts has introduced her third novel in the Cousins O’Dwyer trilogy, Blood Magick. The main character Branna O’Dwyer, who works as proprietor of The Dark Witch Shop in County Mayo, creates her special soaps, lotions, and candles for tourists. She is a tower of strength, but is missing one element in her busy life, and that is love. She had it once upon a time, but with Finbar Burke, who was forbidden to her, both through history and blood. But, as in many of those situations, Branna and Fin could not resist being together. It is an age-old battle that ensues between the good that holds them together, and the evil that has plagued their families forever.
The novel joins the epic battle of good and evil, complete with sorcerers and black magic, and the completely opposite story of a Romeo and Juliet type of romance. Branna and Fin fight many battles to try to finally be able to be together……legally…..in the eyes of their friends and family. From Blood Magick comes an end to the trilogy about a land that draws the reader in, the family they learn to admire, and the two people who just desire to share their love.
Popular author, John Grisham, introduced his latest novel, Gray Mountain, in October of this year. It is proving to be a very controversial work, since Grisham’s liberal ideology is not so subtly reflected in this novel. The storyline revolves around the main character, Samantha Kofer, who in 2008, has the fast track upward career on Wall Street with a high powered , prestigious law firm. Suddenly, the recession hits and her law firm downsizes, furloughing Samantha without notice, and escorts her out of the building. She is offered a position with no pay for one year as a legal aid, with a slight chance that after that period of time, she might get her Wall Street job back.
Samantha experiences a cultural shock when she moves from Manhattan to a very small town, Brady, Virginia. Being in the heart of Appalachia, the area is one that she had only read about. She is to work at the legal aid clinic where she is supposed to help “real people”. She must actually represent ordinary clients in the courtroom, where she quickly finds out that small towns can be hiding some big secrets.
The author’s liberal leaning political views comes through when he is describing Samantha’s journey “into the murky and dangerous world of coal mining, where laws are often broken, rules are ignored, regulations are flouted, communities are divided, and the land itself is under attack from Big Coal. Within just a few weeks, Samantha realizes that she is embroiled in litigation that could turn deadly.
Gray Mountain concentrates on Grisham’s relentless, negative case against what he calls Big Coal. This biased novel comes on the heels of his previous novel, Sycamore Row (2013), that takes a very critical look at racism in Mississippi (Grisham’s home state). There has been much controversy surrounding Gray Mountain with anti-coal people and those who believe coal mining has significantly improved into a safer, cleaner industry.
As the last installment of The Hunger Games, author Suzanne Collins published Mockingjay in August of 2010. The book carries forth the story of Katniss Everdeen. She and her sister and friends are working at unifying the district of Panem, as there is rebellion against the tyrannical Capitol. They live in the highly structured District 13, where the attempt at unification is being spearheaded. Katniss grudgingly agrees to act as the poster child for the rebellion….. the Mockingjay.
The ins and outs of battles, missions, and attempted assassinations, fill the fictional novel with excitement, mystery, deception, loyalty, and betrayal. The series tackles issues like severe poverty, starvation, oppression, and the effects of war. The main theme can be boiled down to being a seemingly perfect teenage story with refined rage against what is perceived to be the cruel and powerful adult world.
The film adaptation of Mockingjay, Part 1 is set to be released on November 21, 2014, and Part 2 on November 20, 2015. Francis Lawrence, director of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, returns to direct the two final movies. Cast members are! Jennifer Lawrence, Katniss Everdeen; Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Donald Sutherland, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Julianne Moore, and others.
Amy Poehler is an American actress best known for her stint on Saturday Night Live. She has had a busy career since 1996 when she performed with the improv comedy group, Upright Citizen’s Brigade, and was a founding member of that group’s Theater in 1999. She was a SNL cast member from 2001 to 2008. She is currently serving as an Executive Producer in the new Swedish-America sitcom Welcome to Sweden.
“Yes Please”, is a type of biography of the brand of comedy that author Poehler does best. It combines a myriad of stories, poetry, lists photos and advice from the author. Even the chapter headings are very humorous with chapters like “Treat Your Career Like a Bad Boyfriend”, “Plain Girl Versus the Demon”, and “The Robots Will Kill Us All”. It is a provocative collection that will keep the reader laughing. “Yes Please”, has been reviewed to be “honest, personal, real, and righteous”. It offers everything from her “too safe” childhood to her ideas about “the biz”, to her “joy” in being told she has a “face for wigs”.
Amy Poehler currently lives in New York City and Los Angeles with her two boys. She hoped this book would get her an invitation onto her hero Judge Judy’s yacht!
Winter Street is one of several beach novels written by author, Elin Hilderbrand, who, by some critics, has earned the title of “Queen of the Summer Novel”. The theme is a bit different than her other works in that it is still in her beloved Nantucket, but takes place during the Christmas holiday season.
Winter Street is the local Inn on Nantucket, and has the tradition of hosting an annual Christmas party for the island. Everyone is looking forward to the party except Kelley Quinn, owner of the Inn. His whole family is in a constant state of chaos and turmoil, beginning with his discovery that his wife has had a 13-year affair with the hired Santa. His personal finances are in trouble after spending his once very comfortable savings on an elaborate restoration of the Inn. The Quinn children have many problems all their own. In the midst of all the family mayhem, Kelley’s first wife and mother of the three children steps in to possibly save the day.
By the time the holiday is gone, the dysfunctional Quinn family will survive “a love triangle, an unplanned pregnancy, a federal crime, a small house fire, many shots of whiskey, and endless rounds of Christmas caroling”. Just a “simple” story about coming home for Christmas.
Robyn Carr, delivers another smart, funny and emotional novel about the small Oregon town of Thunder Point. Her main characters, Grace Dillon and Troy Headly, find each other and decide to get to know each other better. Complications from the past make themselves known. They try to overcome the discovered knowledge. Troy tries to help Grace find the life she has always wished for.
