Waking Lazarus (A Guardian Novel #2)

Jake Harris' life hasn't turned out the way he planned. Battling his addictions, and the shattered pieces of his family, he is hired to ghostwrite a memoir. From the 1920's story of a controversial evangelist, to the present day mystery of a former District Attorney, everything changes when his search for the truth leads to an atrocity hidden from history. With a past he can't remember, he begins to discover that he is not the person he believed himself to be. Rather, he is a threat to a secret society that has remained in the shadows for nearly a century. Jake is drawn deep inside a world he never knew existed that brings him closer to his own extraordinary destiny.

*May Contain Spoilers*

DJ Williams defies expectations with his novel, Waking Lazarus, the second in the Guardian series. With everything already lost, there isn't much choice but for Jake Harris to help with an investigation that cleared him as a suspect. But there's more to the FBI partnership than there seems. 

Jake seems like an average man going through a rocky part of life. He's getting divorced, though he doesn't want to, and lacking both a job and a home. When he's hired to ghostwrite a memoir, it seems his prayers have been answered. He has hope, he has drive, but he also has a drinking problem. Jake Harris is about as real as a character can get, before he is dragged into a world of secret societies and trained assassins. After Doc Warren hires Jake as a writer, he is killed and Jake is pulled into a world that he was once a part of. But those memories have been erased. Jake isn't a perfect person, he has more then his fair share of flaws, but he has good intentions and even better motivations: keeping his wife and daughter safe. I think readers will connect with him through that motivation more than anything else. 

Though not the main character, I really enjoyed Kate's role in the story. She is brought back by the President to protect Jake, though she isn't given a reason as to why. As she becomes entangled in this terrorizing plot, Kate's certainty that she's working for the good guys becomes unclear. I really enjoyed that Williams wrote a female FBI agent to protect Jake, it added another level to the relationships, espionage, and what overall success of the operation would mean exactly. 

The plot begins with Doc Warren and the story of Evelyn Shaw, a 1920s miracle worker. She created Hope House, a place for orphaned children, in different areas around the world. Some of these children were trained to be weapons under an off-the-books government program. Jake Harris was one of them. In present day, the secret society of the Brethren know Jake is alive, but they don't know who he is. They know him only as Lazarus. However, Jake doesn't remember how to be Lazarus. Though he can be forced to remember. 

Waking Lazarus is an action thriller with guts and killer instincts. To fight the Brethren, Lazarus must be awakened in Jake, but the cost is high. Readers will enjoy the action in the novel as Jake searches for answers and redemption. But this is only the start of the war. The end leaves readers hanging off a cliff, waiting for the battle to really begin. 

Rating: 3.5/5 Cups

The Disillusioned (A Guardian Novel #1)

March 2013 Wrap Up

Favorite books of the month include both Georgiana Darcy's Diary and Beautiful Creatures. =) Could definitely read them a second time through, but April has so much in store! (Including sequels!)

The Disillusioned

A mother's suicide threatens to destroy a family legacy. Her sons, Sam and Daniel, are forced to leave their comfortable worlds behind and search for a woman they believe can unlock the secrets that have remained hidden. They are propelled into separate journeys from Los Angeles to the heart of the Zambezi, where they are forced to confront a man known as Die Duiwel, the Devil.

On their adventures they will find themselves in a place where death is one breath away, where thousands of children are disappearing into the darkness, and where the woman they are searching for is on the hunt for revenge. When they stand face-to-face with the forgotten slaves of Africa, they will fight to redeem what has been lost.

*May Contain Spoilers*

D.J. Williams explores family legacy, loyalty, and love with his novel The Disillusioned. Facing a newly discovered family secret may be the key to bringing two brothers back together after their mother's suicide. Daniel and Sam share the main character role as they try to move on and accept what happened to their mom though the will of their mother has other plans for the two men. 

Daniel is a man who has lost his way. He's unsure of himself, embarrassed by his lack of faith, and has lost his will. Readers will connect with Daniel's nature and his attempt to change the path he's on by obeying his mother's last wishes - to find a woman named Stella who was raised an orphan in Africa. As he flies across the world to track down this woman, he uncovers a family secret that threatens to destroy the family name.

Sam is the black sheep of the family and he's been running away since he was old enough to be called an adult. But when his brother goes missing in the heart of Africa, he has no choice but to put away his ill-willed feelings and save Daniel. Readers will bond with Sam based on his loyalty and respect him for his bravery, instincts, and sacrifice. 

The plot of the novel focuses on human trafficking in Africa and how it influences politics. Some of the places and political terminology was a bit confusing, but with some close reading I believe any reader could enjoy this book. The character connections stay strong throughout the entire novel though the names of the political leaders do seem to jumble together at times. The Disillusioned is a quick start thriller that takes readers into a realm where survival is key. Recommended for mature audiences. 

Rating: 4/5 Cups

The Disillusioned

WWW Wednesday (45)

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?

• What did you recently finish reading?

• What do you think you’ll read next?

01. Currently Reading:
Georgiana Darcy's Diary by Anna Elliot. A continuation of Pride and Prejudice where Georgiana shares her own love story after Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth have been married for about a year.

02. Recently Finished:
The Disillusioned by D.J. Williams. After their mother's suicide, two brothers must search for a woman listed in her will. A journey across the world that brings a fallen family back together.

03. Reading Next:
In Pursuit by R.E. Kemp. A novel of confessions focused around a variety of characters that are pursuing happiness in a world that may not accept them.

WWW Wednesday (44)

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?

• What did you recently finish reading?

• What do you think you’ll read next?

01. Currently Reading:
Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia. Enchanting book! Half way through and I'm don't ever want it to end. It's that good.

02. Recently Finished:
Black Earth: End of the Innocence by David Alderman. Thoroughly enjoyable novel. Apocalyptic and alien invasion mixed with religion. Good, interesting read.

03. Reading Next:
The Disillusioned by Derek Williams. After a woman's suicide, two brothers must find the heir of her estate. A journey that will forever change them.