Vanish, by Tess Gerritsen

Every once in a while I have to get my “thriller” fix, and Vanish was an excellent choice for this. I’ve not read Tess Gerritsen before, and I’m always looking for a new author to explore. I will probably seek out some more of her work after enjoying this book.

Jane Rizzoli is a Boston police detective and is a recurring character in Gerritsen’s books.  In this episode, she is very pregnant at the beginning and has a baby during the story. Of course, she and her baby are in dire straits before the end of the book.

At the beginning, there are two stories going on – one is about girls from foreign countries who are brought to this country with the promise of jobs and end up in slavery and forced into prostitution.  The second story is about a woman psycho who takes hostages in a hospital – and Jane ends up being one of the hostages because she is there to have her baby.

It really took me a while to figure out how this was all going to come together, but I liked the uncertainty. I don’t usually want to be able to figure everything out right away; that’s the fun of a thriller! I tend to like authors who use the same characters in books.  I love Alex Cross (my guilty pleasure) and Temperance Brennan because they become your friends after reading about them over and over again. You really get to know them and follow them through their entire lives. However, jumping into the middle of this series was fine. I didn’t feel like I had missed out on anything, and I did feel a connection to Jane and her family.

The only question I had, and it isn’t that big of a deal, is why is the book named Vanish? I don’t get who or what vanished. When I can’t relate to the title of a book, I won’t remember it. By the end of the year when I see this title, I won’t remember the story without reading a blurb.

Gerritsen spins an intriguing yarn, kept my heart pounding until the end, and had me cheering for the good guys (and sometimes the bad guys, when I thought that they were good.)  I think these books are appropriate for teens who are interested in this genre.  A very enjoyable, easy to read book. If you haven’t experienced this author before, I would recommend her.  

Please let me know in the comments if you have a favorite thriller author you think I should try.  Thanks!

Published by Ballantine in 2005
Copy obtained from the library
336 pages

Rating: 3.5/5

Hate List, by Jennifer Brown

My one word adjective for Hate List is “gut-wrenching.” (OK. That might be two words.) Valerie, our narrator, has been through and is going through an ordeal so difficult, that the reader truly cannot imagine.  Jennifer Brown, however, puts you right in her shoes, and the picture she paints while emotional, is believable.

Valerie is the girlfriend of Nick, who shot and injured or killed many students at Garvin High.  This story has a unique perspective, because it is told by Valerie.  She was shot, herself, but also feels partly responsible for Nick’s actions (even though she had no idea he was thinking this way) because of the “hate list” that she and Nick had created, listing all people and things they hated. Her guilt isn’t relieved by the fact that many people involved also hold her responsible.

It is such a struggle for Valerie to figure out how she should feel.  She tries to go back to school, but of course everything is different. Her parents don’t trust her, and really can’t forgive her.  The one bright spot is her excellent psychiatrist, who is the only person who seems to help Valerie.

Valerie’s dad made me so mad I almost threw the book across the room.  He had no relationship with Valerie, and had no idea what was going on in her head, and really didn’t want to know.  He pretty much wanted to put her in a mental hospital.

The principal, Mr. Angerson, was clueless. The only important thing to him was to give the impression that things at Garvin were all better—in fact, much better than prior to the incident.  Yea, right.  I was extremely frustrated with him, too.

My emotions ran the gamut while reading this--frustration, sadness, hate, and sympathy, to name a few.  I work in a high school every day.  Talk about your worst nightmare.  I empathized with all involved—even with Nick.  He was terribly tormented by his peers.  I like to think that we do a good job preventing bullying—but you can’t watch every kid every minute. Our grade schools are doing an excellent job of preventing this at an early age (I hope.) As a librarian, I feel that I get a lot of those “misfits” as regulars. I hope they feel safe and secure in the library. But I digress…

It’s a good story; one that needs to be told.  And, in this case, it’s told in a sensitive, realistic manner that evokes such deep emotion that I would recommend this to anyone. It’s very readable and has appeal for teens and adults alike.  I will be sure to recommend this to my students and faculty.

Published by Little, Brown, 2009

Checked out from my library

405 pages (qualifies for my 350 Page Book Challenge!)

Rating: 5/5

Follow Friday -- Give a Cheer!!

 

This week Parajunkee asks: 

Who do you cheer for?

I live very close to St. Louis, so if I cheer for a professional team, it's St. Louis Cardinals (but I don't very much.)  I graduated from the University of Illinois, so I'm a big Illini fan! And, I'm a librarian at the high school that I graduated from, so I love rooting for my Knights!

How about you? Who ya rootin' for???

Thanks for stopping by! Have a great weekend! 

 

Cryers Cross, by Lisa McMann

If you are in the mood for a creepy tale, try Cryer’s Cross by Lisa McMann.  Whoa. It’s not totally believable, but it’s a quick, fun read that will send shivers up and down your spine.

Cryer’s Cross, Montana is a seemingly sleepy small town until Tiffany Quinn, a high school student disappears. All of the town is understandably upset and tries desperately to figure out what happened to Tiffany, but to no avail.

Our main character, Kendall, is starting her senior year, in a classroom where all four high school classes attend together.  That’s how small we’re talking about. Kendall’s best friend, and possibly her “boyfriend” although she doesn’t like to use that word, is Nico.  They live across the street from each other, were born two months apart, and have basically been inseparable since that time. Kendall also suffers from a somewhat severe case of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, which is very realistically portrayed.

Beginning the new school year is difficult, since Tiffany’s absence is still a raw wound. There’s a new family in town, however, with two new students – Marlena, and sophomore, and Jacian, a senior. Marlena is very friendly, but Jacian is quiet and brooding – so much so that Kendall is kind of afraid of him. Jacian isn’t Kendall’s main problem, though, because Nico begins to act very strange, and then he disappears also.

The book is somewhat tense, but mostly macabre. In between chapters there are cryptic messages, that the reader doesn’t understand, but as the book goes on, they become clearer, and they are very sinister.  It’s a short book, and pretty entertaining. You do need to suspend some disbelief, but I think teens will really enjoy this book, and I would probably recommend it to some of my reluctant readers.

Ebook provided by Simon & Schuster GalleyGrab

Publication date: February 8, 2011

232 pages

Rating:  3.5/5

Waiting on Wednesday - Throat by R. A. Nelson

Waiting On Wednesday is hosted over at Breaking the Spine, so make sure you go and check out the other blogs that are participating.

This is my first time ever participating, and the reason is because I found a book that I thought looked very intriguing, and I haven't seen anything in the "blogoverse" about it.  Has any one heard of this? Has anyone read an advance copy?  I'm really curious about it, and can't wait to see some reviews.  Please let me know!

Throat by R. A. Nelson

 

How about that cover???

Releases on January 25, 2011

Publisher's description:  

R. A. Nelson takes us on a supernatural thrill ride, a modern-day vampire story set on a NASA base and filled with space-and-science intrigue. Seventeen-year-old Emma feels cursed by her epilepsy—until the lost night. She's shocked to wake up in the hospital one morning, weak from blood loss. When her memories begin to return, she pieces together that it was a man—a monster—who attacked her: a vampire named Wirtz. And it was her very condition that saved her: a grand mal seizure interrupted Wirtz and left Emma with all the amazing powers of a vampire—heightened senses, rapid speed—but no need to drink blood. Is Emma now a half-vampire girl? One thing soon becomes clear: the vampire Wirtz is fierce and merciless, feared even by his own kind, and won't leave a job undone. 

Thanks for stopping by, and let me know what you think! 

House Rules, by Jodi Picoult

I’m a big Jodi Picoult fan, and I really liked House Rules.   I just don’t think it was one of her best books.  It’s a fascinating account of a boy, Jacob, who has Asperger’s Syndrome. And it’s really a story of Jacob’s entire family, because this disorder truly disrupts the life of everyone connected with Jacob.

I thought the book was a little long.  For at least eighty pages, it’s a description of what Asperger’s is like. I’ve read several books about Asperger’s and maybe that’s why I didn’t need such a lengthy introduction. I did like how the story is narrated by several characters: Emma, Jacob’s mother; Theo, Jacob’s brother; Jacob himself; and various other characters, so you get each person’s perspective.

I’m really all about not giving spoilers, so I’m just going to give you a general idea of the story, so that I can explain what I liked, and didn’t like. Jess, Jacob’s tutor is found dead.  Through convoluted circumstances, Jacob is accused.  Throughout the whole book the reader knows (even though Picoult never spells it out) what really happened.  I just didn’t believe that Theo wouldn’t help his brother by telling what he knows, and that the police, the lawyer, and Emma don’t figure it out. They basically don’t even consider all the possible alternatives.

In most of Picoult’s books, I am surprised by the ending.  I just wasn’t surprised by this book.  I loved the writing; I enjoyed reading the book. I never considered not finishing it.  I think Picoult is a great story teller.  I just didn’t like this story as much.  I did love the way she told it.  If you are a Picoult fan, you should read this. If you haven’t read any of hers, this wouldn’t be my first choice.

This book was checked out of my library.

Published by Atria Books in 2010

532 pages (Qualifies for my 350 Page Book Challenge!)

Rating: 3/5