A few reviews as promised …

The Event by David Goleman

I was suffering from a James Rollins withdrawal and sought out authors of the same genre; thriller/suspense with a healthy dose of adventure.
The first name I came across was David Goleman. I tracked down The Event and began reading…
I was hooked from the first page. The cast is vast and I had a to do a mental backtrack a few times but all in all I found it to be a good read, and I think it will appeal to fans of TV Sci-fi series etc.
I look forward to reading the next 4 books too!

 The Son by Jo Nesbo

I loved this stand alone novel from the creator of the Harry Hole series! Sonny Lofthus a model prisoner for twelve years, has been incarcerated for crimes he did not commit, but which he confesses to in return for a supply of drugs.  He has always believed his father committed suicide after admitting to being a corrupt cop. One day a prisoner makes a confession about his father’s death that changes Sonny’s future forever.  Now Sonny, who has never lived on the outside, an addict and a scapegoat, is out for vengeance for his father’s murder. I couldn’t help cheering on the hero who was actually an anti – hero! The story starts off slow and builds with mounting suspense which does not dissapoint!

Thousand Words by Jennifer Brown

Ashleigh's boyfriend, Kaleb, is about to leave for college, and Ashleigh is worried that he'll forget about her while he's away. So at a legendary end-of-summer pool party, Ashleigh's friends suggest she text him a picture of herself -- sans swimsuit -- to take with him. Before she can talk herself out of it, Ashleigh strides off to the bathroom, snaps a photo in the full-length mirror, and hits "send."

I found the subject matter (sexting & its consequences) thought provoking; it is a book I think all teens should read! It is an education about, modern technology coupled with teen emotion and how wrong it can go. I did find Ashleigh not compelling enough as a character and the depth of the relationship rift caused with her parents not fully explored. Peripheral characters could have been brought into the story with more to do.  A book with a similar message but better writing is Susan Vaught’s Going Underground.
However all said and done, I am a fan of Jennifer Brown’s The Hate List. Read it!

KD