Release Day Book Review: The Fixer by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Title: The Fixer

Series: The Fixer (Book 1)

Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Publish Date: July 7, 2015

Genre: Young Adult Thriller

Why I Read this Book: I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influenced my review of this novel.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Book (from Goodreads):  

When sixteen-year-old Tess Kendrick is sent to live with her older sister, Ivy, she has no idea that the infamous Ivy Kendrick is Washington D.C.'s #1 “fixer,” known for making politicians' scandals go away for a price. No sooner does Tess enroll at Hardwicke Academy than she unwittingly follows in her sister's footsteps and becomes D.C.'s premier high school fixer, solving problems for elite teens.

Secrets pile up as each sister lives a double life. . . . until their worlds come crashing together and Tess finds herself in the middle of a conspiracy with one of her classmates and a client of Ivy's. Suddenly, there is much more on the line than good grades, money, or politics, and the price for this fix might be more than Tess is willing to pay.

Perfect for fans of Pretty Little Liars and Heist Society, readers will be clamoring for more in this exciting new series.

Review

Full of action and suspense, Jennifer Lynn Barnes latest thriller, The Fixer, does not cease to amaze. I had previously read another novel by Barnes (The Naturals) and I loved it! (You can find my review here. So naturally (pun intended), as soon as I saw Barnes' latest novel on Netgalley I decided to pick it up.

In The Fixer, Tess Kendrick moves in with her sister and some big changes happen in her life. She goes from a teen in a small town skipping classes to take care of her grandfather with Alzheimer's disease to being invited to dinner by the first lady.

This action packed thriller had many twists and turns. The dynamics between the characters was what really got me hooked. I enjoyed the character development and the high-action plot. I loved every minute of The Fixer and would recommend this book to anyone looking for action and suspense.

Final Statements

Recommended Reading Age: Any

Overall Rating: 4.5/5

Book Review: Pool of Echoes

Title: Pool of Echoes

Author: David G. Allen

Publish Date: October 19, 2014

Genre: Adult Christian Suspense Thriller

Why I Read this Book: I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This in no way influenced my review.

 

 

 

 

About the Book (from Goodreads):  

In this Inspirational Thriller, Nothing Is Certain But The Truth 
Jordan Mitchfield is heir to a media empire worth billions. He also sees and hears things that aren’t there. 
Then someone close puts him in an insane asylum against his will. 
When it looks like there is no way out but to take his own life, he is stopped. Is it a vision? Is what he’s seeing actually real? Is it even part of this dimension? 
Whatever it is, it opens his cell door and throws him into a dangerous time-travel adventure through his memories. 
As he goes deeper into the Pool of Echoes, he is forced to confront everything he has ever known, reconstruct his own mental health, and play a role in something much larger than himself. 
Fans of Contemporary Science fiction, Action, Espionage, Christian fiction, and Fantasy with a Psychological edge will dive through each exciting moment. 
If you or anyone you know has ever questioned their own self worth, get on board this life-changing thrill-ride. You will never be the same.

Review

When I received this book for review, the author informed me that the book was an inspirational thriller and that he was inspired by Ted Dekker. I love Ted Dekker's fantasy/scifi novels (The Circle Trilogy and the Lost Books series) and I enjoyed the books that I have read from him that are thriller novels. Before I read Pool of Echoes, I had certain expectations knowing that the author was inspired by Ted Dekker.

Ted Dekker's novels often make you wonder "What in the world is going on?" and you usually don't fully understand the novel until you are finished with the series.  It is always a crazy ride. This is also true of Pools of Echoes.


Pools of Echoes stars a main character who is in the mental ward. The whole book I was asking myself "Is any of this really happening in the 'real world' or is it all just a figment of the main characters imagination?". I was expecting crazy twists in the plot and everything that seemed to be real to not be real. This excitement and curiosity made this novel incredibly interesting.

The ending was surprising and interesting.  I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a good, clean thriller novel.

Final Statements

Recommended Reading Age: 12+ for intense action scenes and some foul language

Overall Rating: 3.5/5

Book Review: Eyes Wide Open by Ted Dekker (Outlaw Series #1)

Book Title: Eyes Wide Open

Author: Ted Dekker

Publish Date: Febuary 4, 2013

Genre: Christian Adult Thriller

Plot (from Goodreads):  

Who am I?

My name is Christy Snow. I’m seventeen and I’m about to die. I’m buried in a coffin under tons of concrete. No one knows where I am. My heart sounds like a monster with clobber feet, running straight toward me. I’m lying on my back, soaked with sweat from the hair on my head to the soles of my feet. My hands and feet won’t stop shaking.

Some will say that I’m not really here. Some will say I’m delusional. Some will say that I don’t even exist. But who are they? I’m the one buried in a grave.

My name is Christy Snow. I’m seventeen. I’m about to die.

So who are you?

In a return to the kind of storytelling that made Showdown and Three unforgettable, Ted Dekker drags that question into the light with this modern day parable about how we see ourselves.

Humming with intensity and blindsided twists, Eyes Wide Open is raw adrenaline from the first page to the last pure escapism packed with inescapable truth. Not all is as it seems. Or is it? Strap yourself in for the ride of your life. Literally.

Why I Read this Book: I have wanted to read this book for a while now.   I have love all of the books that I have read by Ted Dekker.  I picked this one up now because I have received the second book in this series for review from Netgalley and I wanted to read the first book before I started that book.  I checked out this book from my local library.

 

Review 

This book was a wild rollar coaster ride.  I loved parts of it and I was really bored in other parts.  I usually do not read thriller books, but I have been wanting to read some of Ted Dekker's adult thriller books.  Ted Dekker is overtly Christian and his believes are often seen in his books.  I was not sure how this would come out in a thriller, but I am so glad that I read this book.

The first half of the book was really slow paced and not much action occurred.  The thing that got me to continue reading was some advice that I have seen recently in a Booktube video (book review and discussion on Youtube).  This video suggested that when you are not really enjoying a book but really want to finish it to go look up 5 star reviews about the book.  I did this and saw that there was a Christian message at the end of the book.  This encouraged me to stick with it and I am so glad that I did.

As a thriller book, half the ride is reading the book for yourself and finding out what happens.  As such, I cannot tell you too much about this book.  It is better to go into it blind.  I really enjoyed the Christian message behind the book.  It was really inspirational.  If you have read this book, I would love to talk about that with you!

Although it was quite frustrating at times, I also really enjoyed the suspense of finding out what in the world was going on in the book.  It was really confusing at times, but once you read the ending you begin to appreciate the suspense.

I would suggest this to anyone who loves Christian thrillers and who love suspense.  Some scenes in the book were a little gory, so I do not recommend this book to anyone who has a weak stomach.
 
 

Final Statements

Recommended Reading Age: 13+ for intense action scene and some gore

Overall Rating: 4/5

Book Review: The Naturals

Book Title: The Naturals

Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Publish Date:November 5, 2013

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary, Crime

Series Name: The Naturals (#1)

Plot (from Goodreads):   

Seventeen-year-old Cassie is a natural at reading people. Piecing together the tiniest details, she can tell you who you are and what you want. But it’s not a skill that she’s ever taken seriously. That is, until the FBI come knocking: they’ve begun a classified program that uses exceptional teenagers to crack infamous cold cases, and they need Cassie.

What Cassie doesn’t realize is that there’s more at risk than a few unsolved homicides—especially when she’s sent to live with a group of teens whose gifts are as unusual as her own. Sarcastic, privileged Michael has a knack for reading emotions, which he uses to get inside Cassie’s head—and under her skin. Brooding Dean shares Cassie’s gift for profiling, but keeps her at arm’s length.

Soon, it becomes clear that no one in the Naturals program is what they seem. And when a new killer strikes, danger looms closer than Cassie could ever have imagined. Caught in a lethal game of cat and mouse with a killer, the Naturals are going to have to use all of their gifts just to survive.

Why I Read this Book: I saw this book at my local library and it looked really interesting.  I am a forensic science major so I naturally love crime books.

 

Review 

This book was a little slow in the beginning but the pace really picked up.  I loved the criminal profiling that occurred in the book.  I loved that each character had their own distinct personality and each character was very complex. 

I loved the crime aspect of the novel.  I am not a psychology major, but the criminal profiling seemed to be realistic.  The author has a degree in psychology and also has her PhD so I trust that they are accurate.

After about 50 pages in, the book is very fast paced and filled with action.  There is a love triangle that is a bit cliche, but what book nowadays does not have a cliche love triangle?

I read this book in one day and I truly loved it.  This is part of a series and I am not sure how many books will be in the series.  I think this book would have worked perfectly as a standalone novel, but there were a few things that were left unanswered that may be answered in the next novel.  This is one of the books that I would have preferred to be a standalone novel though.

 

Final Statements

Recommended Reading Age: 16+ for intense scenes and sexual references

Overall Rating: 4.5/5

Frame 232 by Wil Mara

As many of you may know, today is the 50th anniversary of the assassination of one of America's beloved leaders, John F. Kennedy.  In memory of the occasion, I have read a historical fiction novel whose plot surrounds the assassination of JFK.  Check out this trailer for the book:

General Analysis

Book Title: Frame 232

Author: Wil Mara

Publish Date: June 2013

Genre:  Christian Historical Fiction

Plot (from Goodreads):  During the reading of her mother’s will, Sheila Baker discovers that she has inherited everything her parents ever possessed, including their secrets. A mysterious safe deposit box key leads her to the answers to one of history’s greatest conspiracies: who killed John F. Kennedy? Not only does she have the missing film, revealing her mother as the infamous babushka lady, but she has proof that there was more than one shooter.
On the run from people who would stop at nothing to keep secrets buried, Shelia turns to billionaire sleuth Jason Hammond for help. Having lost his own family in a tragic plane crash, Jason knows a thing or two about running from the past. With a target on their backs, can Jason uncover the truth in time, or will this shooter finally make their mark?

Why I Read this Book: I received a copy of this book for review purposes from the Tyndale House Publishing as part of a blog tour.

In Depth Analysis

The main plot of the book is based on a lady, the babushka lady, who may have possibly taken a video during the assassination, but has yet to come forward with this possible video.  The book follows the daughter of the Babushka lady, who now has inherited the video from her mom after her mom passed away.

I enjoyed most of this book a lot.  It was filled with suspense and plot twists.  I loved the two main characters, Mr. Hammond and Sheila.  The story line was interesting to me because the author really did his research and wrote the book around the events that occurred the day of the assassination.  The book is not meant to be an possible explanation of what happened, but rather a historical fiction novel filled with action.

The only thing that I did not enjoy about this novel is that there was so much going on at one time that it was hard to keep the characters straight in my head.  There were also some slow parts in the book, but overall it was very entertaining.  I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in American history and enjoys reading.

Q & A with Wil Mara, author of Frame 232

1. What inspired you to write a novel around the assassination of President John F.
Kennedy?

I have always been fascinated by the assassination, which, obviously, was one of the most pivotal and enigmatic events in American history. And when I heard about the ‘Babushka Lady’---one of the few people in Dealey Plaza that day who remains unidentified---and the possibility that she may have filmed the shooting, an idea came to mind that seemed too good to disregard.

2. How much research did you do for this project?

An unbelievable amount. I spoke with assassination experts, read literally hundreds and books and articles, pored over countless photos...you name it. My goal was to write a fictional story around the established facts rather than alter the facts to serve the story. Thus, I had to know pretty much everything. I ended up loading my brain with more data than I really needed...but I didn’t mind.

3. How has your research informed your own theory of what happened during the JFK
assassination?

My personal theory, prosaic though it may be, is that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone. If you want to be convinced, get your hands on a fairly rare book called Lee, which was written by his brother, Robert. Once you understand the mind behind the eyes that looked through that rifle scope, you will be convinced.

 4. What have you learned about the real Babushka Lady?

She was wearing an overcoat, glasses, and a head scarf (i.e., a babushka), and was standing about thirty feet from the limousine when the president took the fatal shot. Most assassination experts believe she was also holding a camera---very possibly a film camera. If so, and if she had a reasonably steady hand, then she probably took the best moving images of the assassination; even better than the famed Zapruder film. Plus, she was standing opposite Zapruder, which afforded her a unique angle. And yet, we
don’t know her name, and her film has never surfaced. And here’s the most important part about her in relation to Frame 232---she was a real person. I didn’t invent her to serve the story. If you do a Google search, you’ll find her.

5. What is the significance of the title?

Simple---once the Babushka film is analyzed, the key moment that helps our heroes move forward with their investigation occurs on frame 232.

6. What role does your Christian faith play in your writing?

It is embedded throughout this story, in a fashion both subtle and direct. I was raised Christian and have been a firm believer all my life, so my belief system is threaded into just about everything I do. Anyone who carries even the most fundamental faith will recognize the important elements in this book. The most obvious example belongs to the main character, who recurs throughout the series---he is suffering a deep crisis of faith, and the core of that crisis should be familiar to even the most devout follower. We are human, plain and simple, and as such we experience doubts about the Lord in our lifetime. So it
won’t be hard for anyone to connect with him.

7. Describe the role of faith plays in your main characters, Sheila Baker and Jason
Hammond. Does this change as the story progresses?

With Sheila, you’ve got a very goodhearted person who is experiencing a critical change in her worldview---she is coming out of the ‘money is the most important thing in the world’ phase and beginning to understand that there are much higher priorities. This isn’t to say she’s trumpeting the virtues of poverty (she still understands that it’s important to live within a certain comfortable and respectable standard). But she’s figuring out that money isn’t what a person should worship---it’s something altogether different. And there is a traceable and, I think, very satisfying arc to her story in this regard.

As for Jason, he suffered a tremendous loss years earlier, went through a protracted nightmare period, and is starting to come out of during the events of Frame 232. An encounter with a very unlikely source helps him to turn the corner and begin a path to renewed promise---but even so, the journey ahead is going to present serious challenges for him. The good news, though, is that he has not abandoned the Lord altogether. If he had done that, there wouldn’t be any conflict within him in the first place.

 8. What lessons do you hope readers will come away with after reading Frame 232?

I can’t interpret the story for anyone but myself, but there are a few themes at work that strike me as particularly valuable. One is that God’s path is always the right one in the end, even if it seems unimaginably rocky at times. Another is that tragedies occur in every life, that these misfortunes usually happen for a reason, and that the reason may not be apparent for some time. A third is that we need to treasure our loved ones for as long as we have them around, because they can disappear in a heartbeat.  Also, it’s important to keep getting out of bed and moving forward every day because life is a gift, and God does not favor those who waste their time and talents. If you are blessed with ability and resources (and Jason has plenty of both), you should use them.

9. What do you have planned for your future Jason Hammond books?

Jason will be tackling other high-profile (and, later on, some lesser-known) mysteries as the series progresses. Readers will also get to follow his ongoing struggles as he rebuilds his faith and gradually assembles his ‘new normal.’ Plus, we’ll further explore the lives of those around him (including a budding love interest, who will appear in the second book). It’s also worth noting that not every book in the series will follow a strictly linear chronology. The one I’m writing now, for example (The Nevada Testament) begins about six weeks after Frame 232. The one I’ll write after that, however (Gardner Island), occurs before the events of Frame 232 and will feature, among other things, some of Jason’s darker and more harrowing moments.

10. What would you like to say to Christian retailers to help them promote Frame 232?

I have tried like mad to strike an ideal balance between solid, suspenseful storytelling and the delivery of worthwhile Christian messages without being over-the-top preachy. All the books in the series, while undeniable in their Christian content, are suitable for the mainstream market as well and thus should find a broad audience. It is also important to note that they were designed not just in regard to what they offer, but what they don’t offer---readers will not have to deal with inappropriate language, gratuitous sexual content, brazen violence, or any of the similar nonsense that characterizes so many other forms of contemporary storytelling. The subject matter might be somewhat advanced in places,
but it can be safely absorbed and enjoyed by people from all walks of life.

Final Statements

Recommended Reading Age: 16+.  There is a good bit of violence and some sexual references (not graphic).

Overall Rating: 4/5

Throwback Thursday Book Edition #4: The Circle Trilogy by Ted Dekker

General Analysis

Series Title: The Circle Trilogy (Black, Red, White)

Author: Ted Dekker

Publish Date: June 3, 2008 (The 3-in-1)

Genres: Christian Fiction, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Thriller

Related Series: Lost Books Series

Plot of Black (from GoodReads): An incredible story of evil and rescue, betrayal and love, and a terrorist threat unlike anything the human race has ever known. A virulent evil has been unleashed upon the people of Earth. The only man who can stop it is Thomas Hunter, an unlikely hero whose life is stretched between two worlds. Every time he falls asleep in one reality, he awakes in the other. Soon Thomas no longer knows which reality is real. Yet it quickly becomes apparent that his choices in each world impact the other--and that the fates of both rest in his hands.

Why and When I Read This Book: I began the Circle trilogy when I was in middle school.  A friend let me borrow the books and this is when I fell in love with Christian fiction (especially the action-packed kind). 

In Depth Analysis

This series goes along with the Lost Books series very well.  The way that the books are intertwined is just ingenious.  (For more information about how to books relate, see last week's "Throwback Thursday Book Edition".)  The Circle Trilogy feels more like adult fiction, to me, compared with the Lost Books series which is young adult.  Usually, I do not like science fiction, but this is the best science fiction series that I have ever read.  The books are so action-packed and exciting that they are hard to put down.  The Lost Books series is set in a fantasy type world; whereas, the Circle trilogy is set on a slightly futuristic Earth.  This makes this series more realistic than the Lost Books, and I enjoy that.

The character and plot development are some of the best work that I have seen from an author.  In the beginning of the series, the main character is confused about what is happening in the worlds ("dream world" and "reality") around him and that leads for a great opportunity for plot development that Dekker accomplishes really well.  I hope to read this series again very soon, and I am also wanting to finally read Green, "the beginning and the end" of this series. 

Final Statements

Recommended Reading Age:  Any age

Overall Rating:  5/5