The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo: Stieg Larsson

I have a tendency to be behind the times. If a book series is a huge hit and sells out everywhere and makes all of the top ten lists...chances are I haven't read it yet. By the time I picked up my mass market paperback copy of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, I think the third book in the series had already been published. And it wasn't until last week when I finally picked up the hefty volume and decided to dive in.

Here's the thing about this book. It's not a story you can love. First of all, it moves achingly slowly through the first half, and then rushes right to the end in a way that left me feeling a little like I had just nearly drowned and come back to life, gasping for air and totally disoriented. It's also incredibly painful. Every character in this book is wounded in one way or another. It is worth noting that the original Swedish title is Men Who Hate Women, which tells you something about the kind of people who populate Larsson's novel.

However, here's the other thing about this book. It is intense and exciting. It is exhilarating and emotional. Not unlike the mafia, once you're in, you're in for life. The characters are so well written and well developed that they become fully dimensional people. This is one of those books which people talk about as if it were a real story, repeating bits of dialogue as if they had heard sound bytes on the evening news. For all it's faults, and certainly every book has one or two, this novel has become a part of our culture.

The story, as I mentioned, starts out slow. Mikael Blomqvist is a newspaper reporter who is being tried for libel against a very large, very powerful company. There are a ton of facts and pieces of history and some lame, limping outlines of a relationship that Mikael has with his editor. Meanwhile, we meet Lisbeth Salander who is under guardianship due to a history of anti-social behavior and general balking at authority. Her most recent and most lenient guardian has just passed away and she has been awarded to a new court-appointed guardian who seems hell-bent on lording his control over her. Lisbeth works for Milton Security, which appears to hire her out as a freelance private investigator. She has this uncanny ability to uncover every minuscule secret of a person's life without their ever knowing. It is this talent of hers that brings her together with Mikael Blomqvist. Mikael is hired by Henrik Vanger to investigate, and hopefully to solve, the 30 year old disappearance of his niece, Harriet. Mikael and Lisbeth become an intimate team in the effort to unravel the many mysteries of the Vanger family and discover what happened to Harriet.

The mystery is meticulously woven and then uncovered, the characters are dimensional and intelligent, the surprises are many, and the heroics are indeed heroic. Lisbeth Salander is both inspiring and pitiful. Mikael is at once brilliant and doltish. The mystery is predictable, and then completely shocking. As a warning to more sensitive readers, I do have to say that there is foul language, violence, and sex. However, it all felt right. Larsson has me hooked and I'm anxious to see what unfolds in the next book.

Rating: $$$

The Throne of Fire: Rick Riordan

The Throne of Fire is Book Two in Rick Riordan's Kane Chronicles series, featuring a brother and sister team who are trying to protect the world from the gods and goddesses of ancient Egypt. In this second installment, Carter and Sadie are on a mission to awaken the sun god, Ra, before Apophis is freed from the Duat (think of it as the underworld).

After the adventure of The Red Pyramid, Carter and Sadie have returned to Brooklyn to start a school for magicians, knowing that they will need to raise an army before Set returns to make his claim on the world. The school introduces readers to some new characters, most importantly Jaz--a feisty healer, and Walt--a good-looking charm maker. Having had a dream in which Horus directed Carter to obtain the three scrolls of Ra, The Throne of Fire opens with a heist to steal the first scroll from a museum. When things go a little sideways, the heat is on to stay one step ahead of Set and his plans to free Apophis. Of course awaking Ra and returning him to his path through the sky is no easy task, and Carter and Sadie will face new demons and monsters, as well as some ancient sibling rivalry on their path to Ra's new morning.

I think it's fair to say that I was disappointed with this book. The story is interesting enough, but it seemed slow-paced. I kept waiting for the action to pick up, which only happened at the very end. I also notice that Riordan's writing doesn't seem to be improving. There is little difference between the Percy Jackson narration and the Kane narration. The siblings are supposedly very different, having been raised separately--Carter is the darker of the two and was raised on the road by his archaeologist father, Sadie is the sassy girl raised by her grandparents in England-- and yet I don't notice when they switch narrators; Carter and Sadie have essentially the same voice.

Which is not to say it was all bad. My favorite part of Riordan's stories is the history. Ancient Egypt literally comes alive in this book, educating readers about so many Egyptian gods and their fables. The gods are colorful characters who add dimension to Riordan's world.

I have hope that the final book in this trilogy will offer more of the excitement and adventure that Riordan has taught me to expect.

Rating: $.5

The Lost Hero: Rick Riordan

I am convinced that everything Rick Riordan touches, turns to gold. Which is a funny sentiment to start off this review, considering King Midas makes an appearance in Riordan's newest series, The Heroes of Olympus. The first book in this series, The Lost Hero, picks up where the Percy Jackson series left off, and takes us to a whole new side of mythology--Rome.

Jason wakes up on a school field trip, but has no idea what school, where he's headed, or even who he is. A kid named Leo claims to be his friend, and the pretty girl holding his hand, Piper, claims to be his girlfriend. When the bus arrives at the Grand Canyon, field trip leader Coach Gleeson keeps a careful watch on Jason, which comes in handy when they group is attacked by wind spirits--also known as venti. It turns out that Coach Gleeson is a satyr who has been watching Leo and Piper, demigods not unlike Percy and Annabeth. When Jason's arrival attracts the venti, all three kids are whisked away to Camp Half-Blood to learn about their parents. It turns out that Leo is a fiery son of Hephaestus, Piper a smooth-talking daughter of Aphrodite, and Jason... Well, Jason is a son of Jupiter, which is the confusing basis for the Heroes of Olympus series in which Greek and Roman mythology begin to mingle.

With his usual enigmatic writing style, Riordan throws Percy Jackson fans a curve ball by introducing a new cast of characters who have ties to the Roman gods, offering brand new gods, myths, and monsters to navigate. However, while the Heroes of Olympus series is based on new characters, there are some familiar faces, including Annabeth and Chiron. Fans will find the story familiar; a little touch of magic, some daring battles, and some really terrifying monsters, as well as some lustful teenage glances. While some might find Riordan formulaic, I think he's still got a few tricks up his sleeve to surprise us.

I am easily hooked and looking forward to joining Jason, Leo, and Piper on their adventures. I love how Riordan manages to take his readers on wild adventures, and still manage to sneak in some education.

Rating: $$$

In Desperation: Rock Mofina

As much as I love crime-fighting movies and television shows, I am rarely intrigued by books of the same genre. I suppose that's because visual entertainment still pales in comparison to an active imagination. However, for whatever reason, Rick Mofina's action-packed novel caught my attention and demanded I give it my time.

Single mother Cora and her daughter Tilly are spending a quiet evening at home when two men posing as police officers arrive and kidnap Tilly. Cora is left with the daunting message that if her boyfriend, Lyle Galviera doesn't return the five million dollars he stole from Norte Cartel--the largest Mexican drug cartel--then Tilly will die. Of course Lyle is nowhere to be found, and with the threat of her daughter's life on the line, Cora calls her reporter brother, Jack, rather than contacting the police. Cora and Jack have been estranged for twenty years, causing layers of guilt and doubt to complicate their situation. Once Jack convinces Cora to involve the police, things start unfolding. In Desperation takes place over five excruciating days, while Tilly's life hangs in the balance. The Norte Cartel are closing in on Lyle Galviera and have dispatched a notorious assassin to get rid of him as well as Tilly. Meanwhile, Cora is holding back a secret that may explain how the cartel became involved with the Gannon family in the first place.

I dragged my feet through this novel. I was interested in the storyline, but Cora frustrated me to no end. I had the feeling that if I were faced with her, I'd slap her. It's a fairly graphic novel, detailing the ways that drug cartels handle vengeance, but that also makes it an exciting story, filled with action and heart-pounding chapters, making this a page-turner.

Rating: $$

ARC received courtesy of MIRA Imprint

No Place Like Holmes: Jason Lethcoe

What do you get when you introduce Encyclopedia Brown to Sherlock Holmes? You get Griffin Sharpe--a genius with a knack for observation.


Griffin Sharpe is a very observant boy. His keen eye and mathematical mind have caused him a bit of trouble in his short life, but Griffin knows that his skills will serve a purpose. In 1903 he is sent to his uncle's for the summer. On his journey to London, England, Griffin learns about the great detective, Sherlock Holmes. Inaccurately believing that the uncle he has never met is Mr. Holmes, Griffin is surprised to find that his uncle is actually Rupert Snodgrass: a lesser-known detective who happens to live in the same building as Sherlock Holmes--literally in his shadow. Griffin proves to be an invaluable asset to his grumpy uncle as they set out to unravel the mystery of a man believed to have been eaten by the Lochness Monster.


Jason Lethcoe has brought a classical fiction character to new light, as seen through the eyes of an intelligent young detective. What a wonderful way for a new generation to fall in love with Sherlock Holmes! All the old fellas are there, including Watson and Moriarty. The adventure and excitement of this novel may seem predictable to adult readers, but to the young audience, it is a maze of intrigue that every young sleuth will enjoy unraveling.


No Place Like Holmes wraps up in such a way that leads me to believe--to hope!--that we haven't seen the last of Griffin Sharpe and his eccentric uncle.


Rating: $$


ARC received courtesy of Tommy Nelson.

Shine: Lauren Myracle

I don't know what drew me to this book. It's about a hate crime against a gay teenager. Stories like this infuriate me, so I usually avoid them. But something about this one caught my interest, and I'm so glad it did. Shine is an incredibly intense story that literally left me breathless. The last twenty pages had my heart racing and my blood pumping.

Cat is a sixteen year old loner in her tiny Southern town of Black Rock. She is one of only three students who passed 11th grade. Poverty and drug abuse are rampant. They aren't quite the hill people of Appalachia, but very nearly. When a hate crime is committed against Cat's childhood friend, Patrick, she breaks out of her comfort zone to track down the attacker. Her first suspects are a group of boys, including her own brother, who taunted Patrick for being gay, but simultaneously offered him protection from others who might have hurt him. Cat interrogates each member of the Redneck Posse but comes up empty handed. While trying to find Patrick's attacker, Cat is forced to face the people she shut out of her life after a disturbing experience when she was just 13. After enlisting the help of several people who knew and loved Patrick, Cat makes a shocking discovery that may risk her life.

Wow. That's the only word to describe this book. It is intense and emotional and dramatic and painful and hopeful. It is about Truth and Justice and Poverty and Drug Abuse and Secrets and Friendship and Family. The characters are dimensional. The story is real. The mystery is intriguing. The ending is...breathless. I have read books by Lauren Myracle, always thinking that she's an average young adult writer: relatable teen characters, modern conflicts, happily-ever-after endings. Shine proves me to be wrong on so many levels. Which isn't to say that the characters in this book aren't relatable or that the conflict isn't modern, because they are. Cat is a very real heroine with very real faults and very admirable strengths, and unfortunately Hate Crimes are a part of daily life for people all over the world. However, this book doesn't have a happily ever after. Because it's a realistic story with a realistic ending, and the reality of Meth abuse is usually death.

A word of warning to my sensitive readers; this book is emotional and intense, at times even painful to read. If you have ever encountered sex abuse, drug abuse, or hate crimes, this book will hit very close to home and could be triggering.

On the other hand, Shine serves as an incredible piece of social criticism art, reminding readers of a forgotten region in America and forcing us to acknowledge that the battle against prejudice is ongoing.

Rating: $$$


ARC received courtesy of Abrams Books. 

The Red Pyramid: Rick Riordan

When I finished the Percy Jackson series, I was anxious to see what Riordan would do next. To be honest, I was a little nervous that there wouldn't be anything "next". So when I first sighted stacks and stacks of the newly released The Red Pyramid, I must admit to a feeling of glee. I could hardly wait to dive into a new Riordan series. This one, The Kane Chronicles, bears some similarities to The Percy Jackson series, except instead of Olympian gods, this series is all about ancient Egyptian gods.

Carter and Sadie Kane are unlikely siblings. Fourteen-year-old Carter takes after his African-American father, with his dark skin, while twelve-year-old Sadie maintains a much fairer complexion. Furthering their differences, Carter has spent his childhood traveling the world with his archeologist father, while Sadie has been stuck with her grandparents in London. After a tragic accident killed their mother, the children were sent their separate ways, only seeing each other twice a year. They are basically strangers when we meet them. That's all about to change as they are united in an attempt to rescue their father and defeat the evil Egyptian god, Set. It turns out that their father has released 5 of Egypt's most powerful gods, and those gods have all taken hosts. Carter and Sadie soon discover that they are descendants of Pharaohs and that they carry enough magic within them to defeat Set. What follows is a pulse-pounding race, filled with gods and magicians, and a lot of unbelievable tricks.

So Riordan has returned to his extremely successful formula. Young people+gods+magic=giant climactic battle. I'm not gonna lie, it's all very familiar. There are elements of Harry Potter and Percy Jackson. There are even some hints of the paranormal romance that the Twilight series made so popular. And yet, I couldn't put it down! I devoured this book. I was a little annoyed by the narration style (Carter and Sadie take turns narrating chapters), but I got over it. The gods characters are some of the most wonderful people I've met in YA fiction lately, and I can't deny that I learned a lot about Egyptian mythology.

Ultimately, I can't wait to find out what happens next. And if you want my honest opinion, I think this series would make for a better movie than the Percy books!

Rating: $$$

Catching Fire: Suzanne Collins

Catching Fire is the second installment in Suzanne Collins’ riveting Hunger Games series. Having tricked The Capitol into allowing both herself and Peeta to win the Games, Katniss has become a symbol. To the people of the poorest districts, she is an heroic rebel, outwitting the tyrannical government and inspiring nation-wide rebellions. To The Capitol, Katniss is a rebel who must be publicly squashed as an example of the government’s complete power. When Katniss receives President Snow in her home, her friends, family, and her very life are threatened. Amidst her fear, Katniss learns that the next year’s Hunger Games will be played by previous victors, which must involve herself and Peeta. It is devastating news and Katniss is immediately resigned to dying in the Games.


To be honest, it took me awhile to get into this second book. I’m not sure if it’s because I already knew the characters and the idiosyncrasies of the setting, or if the writing just wasn’t as good. However, once the Quarter Quell Games are announced and Katniss is informed that she will have to compete in the Games again, I couldn’t stop reading. The Hunger Games are filled with action and danger, making every chapter an edge-of-your-seat ride.

Catching Fire is far darker than the first volume Hunger Games. Having been introduced to the evil of The Capitol, the reader knows that the people in Katniss’ world are scared into oppression. However, it is Katniss herself who becomes a symbol for what a person can do against the tyranny that everyone has endured for seventy-five years. When she outwitted the Gamemasters and managed to keep both herself and Peeta alive, she proved that The Capitol could be fooled. There is a definite message of protest in the pages of Suzanne Collins’ novels.

There is also the ever-present romance in Katniss’ life. While she is publicly engaged to Peeta, she can’t help but harbor a flame of love for her childhood friend, Gale. When she is pushed back into the Games, Katniss suppresses her feelings for Gale and directs all of her energy on Peeta, knowing that Gale has to sit and watch as Katniss and Peeta carry on a romance for the largest reality TV program in the country. It’s heartbreaking on one hand, but I also hold a lot of hope for Katniss and Peeta. They have great chemistry and I’d be interested to know what their future looks like.

***SPOILER BELOW!!!***

So, if you’ve already read this novel, you know that Katniss, Peeta, and a handful of others escape The Games and are headed to the supposedly deserted District Thirteen. Gale, as well as Katniss’ mother and sister have already been transported to the rebel district, and are awaiting her arrival. I don’t know what Collins has in mind for the future of these characters, but I have hope that it involves a national rebellion that overthrows The Capitol and abolishes The Hunger Games forever.

Rating: $$$

The Hunger Games: Suzanne Collins

I’m not sure when it was that I first heard about Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games, but I remember that it was rave reviews. It is a vaguely post-apocalyptic adventure about an inhuman new method of entertainment involving a televised fight to the death. While it is a brutal story, it is an action-packed page-turner filled with charismatic characters, inventive situations, rough violence, young romance, family love, and naïve bravery. In sum, it is awesome.

Collins introduces us to a new world in which the United States has crumbled—literally, in some places. The new country, Panem, is a landmass between what we know now as Appalachia and The Rockies, the ocean coasts having fallen into the sea. Panem consists of thirteen districts and The Capitol. I think of The Capitol as something like 1984’s Big Brother—always trying to keep the citizens in their place by any means necessary; always asserting control. In this new world, each district is responsible for the harvest of a particular resource, which subsequently means the economy of every district is proportionate to their industry. Generally speaking, the districts closest to The Capitol (One, Two, and Three) are most prosperous; in fact The Capitol destroyed District Thirteen in a show of power.

As an illustration of their power over the districts, The Capitol televises an annual event called The Hunger Games, in which each district sends one female child and one male child—known as Tributes—to the Capitol where they will fight each other to the death. Every child must enter their name into the lottery during the ages of twelve through eighteen. The Tributes—a total of twenty-four children—are prepared for the games with trainings, and coached by past game winners. As the Tributes participate in the contest, the public watches and places bets on who will win. Sponsors are invited to make donations to their favorite Tribute so that they may receive much needed gifts during the competition. Overall, the contest is a gory show of ultimate government power and the gross public interest in reality television. No citizen dares speak against The Capitol or The Hunger Games in fear for their life. It makes a reader wonder why anyone would ever choose to have children in such a society.

Our protagonist is a country girl named Katniss Everdeen who lives in the Seam (read, “the ghetto”) of District Twelve. As the coal mining district, D12 is the poorest in the country, filled with under-handed Peacekeepers, illegal hunting, and a profitable black market called The Hob. Since her father’s death, Katniss is the sole supporter of her family, consisting of her mother, her sister Prim, and herself. She spends her days with her friend Gale, hunting illegally in the woods just outside the perimeter of the district. As the primary support for her family, Katniss dreads the idea of being chosen as a Tribute. How would they survive without her? On the day of The Reaping (the name of the lottery), Katniss crosses her fingers that she won’t be picked, only to hear the name of her twelve year old sister called out instead. In a moment of panic and ultimate sacrifice, Katniss volunteers to take her sisters place, winning herself a place in The Hunger Games.

What ensues is a gruesome display of a fight for survival amongst young, desperate citizens who face fame or death. It is essentially a game of instinct, which is something a hunter like Katniss excels as. As coldly instinctual as Katniss is, she manages to form alliances, and even a romance, with a few of her fellow Tributes. Of course, the underlying conflict is that there can only be one winner of The Hunger Games.

Rating: $$$

The Last Thing I Remember: Andrew Klavan

Imagine waking up one morning, not knowing where you are and overhearing the order for your death. Imagine learning that everything you know about your life, your world, and even yourself is a lie. What would it take for someone to convince you that you are not who you think you are? How hard would you fight for what you believe to be the truth?

The Last Thing I Remember is a cross between The Bourne Identity and 24. It's fast paced and action-filled, with a likable protagonist. Charlie West is a 17 year old kid who sees the world in black and white terms--good guys and bad guys. He believes in America, in God, and in being the best guy he can be. He excels in all areas of life: school, karate, family. Life, generally speaking, is good.

Life is good, that is, until he wakes up in a cement cell, chained to a chair where he has been tortured, and overhears the order for his death. From that point on, Charlie is in a race to save his own life. Things get complicated, however, when he learns that he is being pursued by not just the bad guys (Islamic terrorists), but the good guys (American Law Enforcement) as well. Everything that Charlie has always believed about himself is put into question and he is forced to examine what he knows to be true versus what he is told about himself.

The tones of Patriotism and Religion are thick in this novel, which at first made me uncomfortable. However, as the story unfolds, the importance of those themes begins to make sense as a necessary part of the plot. Charlie West seems like a somewhat overdone hero--I mean realistically, how many 17-year-olds could un-arm and outwit a group of Islamic terrorists intent on ending his life?--but he is also plausible in many ways. He gets nervous around girls, he's shy, he dislikes his older sister simply for being an annoying older sister, he stresses out about grades and college. He is simultaneously a superhero and the boy next door.

The Last Thing I Remember is the first book in the Homelander Series, and my interest is admittedly piqued. I'm interested to see how the story of Charlie West is going to unravel.