How is it May already? Deep into finding ways to promote HOST, and finishing a first draft of my next book, I’ve been picking away at my reading list (although I am behind by six books already). I read these back in Jan / Feb, a little all over the place genre wise, but nothing wrong with that. Keeps things fresh.
Darkness, Take My Hand – Dennis Lehane
The second book in the Kenzie / Gennaro series doesn’t disappoint. It’s a solid crime drama with everything you’d expect from the genre. It’s violent and gruesome at some points, but for me, that didn’t detract from the twists and turns, and pacing.
I had read Dune Messiah years ago and, honestly forgot the details. After watching Dune Part 2 (the movie) and a friend starting the series, I decided to re-read. Dune Messiah is basically an epilogue to Dune. Apparently, Frank Herbert wrote it because people thought of Paul Atreides as a Luke Skywalker type character, when in fact, he’s not at all. The point (among many) is no single individual should have that much power. Messiah was a more clear nudge on that theme. With that it feels like an add-on versus an entire story to itself, but I still enjoyed it, and plan to re-read Children of Dune, which I thoroughly enjoyed, next.
Doing comp research for my next book brough me to Orphan X. It’s well reviewed, and fits nicely in the thriller genre. It’s got the standard protagonist with a past who’s as badass as they come. I medium enjoyed it and maybe because I’d read so many other thrillers that fit the same description (hey, not knocking it, I’m writing a character with a “past” too), it fell a little flat for me. I’m finding aspects of thrillers that I don’t like and that’s lingering on the fine details in every scene, I don’t need to know the names of roads unless it’s actually important. Just get them there. Still, if you’re a die-hard fan of the genre I’d recommend.
A co-worker recommended this one to me and based on their description I was interested, but it took me awhile to get around to it. It falls in the YA category (not a big deal, just wasn’t what I was looking for at the time) so I was hesitant. But once I started reading I couldn’t stop, the pacing is fantastic, the concept of “unwinding” children is wild, the themes of reproductive rights is…timely, and the characters have depth that keeps you intrigued. I plan to revisit the series this year.
