The Kite Runner

Amir is the son of a wealthy Kabul merchant, a member of the ruling caste of Pashtuns. Hassan, his servant and constant companion, is a Hazara, a despised and impoverished caste. Their uncommon bond is torn by Amir's choice to abandon his friend amidst the increasing ethnic, religious, and political tensions of the dying years of the Afghan monarchy, wrenching them far apart. But so strong is the bond between the two boys that Amir journeys back to a distant world, to try to right past wrongs against the only true friend he ever had.

The unforgettable, heartbreaking story of the unlikely friendship between a wealthy boy and the son of his father’s servant, The Kite Runner is a beautifully crafted novel set in a country that is in the process of being destroyed. It is about the power of reading, the price of betrayal, and the possibility of redemption; and an exploration of the power of fathers over sons—their love, their sacrifices, their lies.

A sweeping story of family, love, and friendship told against the devastating backdrop of the history of Afghanistan over the last thirty years, The Kite Runner is an unusual and powerful novel that has become a beloved, one-of-a-kind classic.

*May Contain Spoilers*

I should have known after I read And the Mountains Echoed that The Kite Runner would be a great book. Khaled Hosseini does an amazing job crafting a story that is both hauntingly beautiful and powerfully terrifying. To be honest, I was nervous to read it before because I'd heard about the brutality that moves the book forward, but overcoming that uncertainty rewarded me with a story that will stay with me. 

The main character, Amir, isn't the most likable or relatable, but for half of the book, he is a child who doesn't know better. Or, at least, I found myself giving him that excuse. He's a little cowardly, yet intelligent. He's a beautiful writer but suffers from selfishness. He loves his best friend, Hassan, but still recognizes that, in society, Hassan is beneath him. However, I think Amir's best trait is his guilt. Though it takes Amir a long time, years actually, Amir does get the chance to make up for everything wrong that he believes he did as a child. Emphasis on the 'as a child' phrase. As a reader, there's not as much blame to cast on Amir as his character thinks. In the face of adversity and evil, a young boy doesn't have much of a chance. And this is what is haunting about Hosseini's writing: the morally gray area that his characters live and die in. As Amir shares the truth of his childhood from a present-day point of view, readers will see that as a child, he didn't have as much power as he thought. Therefore, his lack of bravery and courage won't be seen as marks against his character, but rather as traits that had not developed yet. When those traits do appear, as an adult back in Afghanistan charged with rescuing another young boy who is being abused, Amir would choose death over inaction, demonstrating that he has evolved into the man he always wanted to be. 

The plot of this novel begins with Amir's life as a young boy and how he grew with feelings of personal disappointment. When Afghanistan becomes really dangerous, Amir leaves the country with his father to make a new life in the U.S. After he marries and settles into his adult life, Amir learns that his favorite family friend from childhood is dying and travels back to his home country. There he learns of his childhood best friend's death and the tragedy of his son. With everything to lose, Amir chooses to try to save the boy in order to pay for his past sins of not saving the boy's father. The combination of Hosseini's writing style with the realistic nature of this book, marking it as almost autobiographical, gives The Kite Runner a power that condemns, forgives, and overcomes. Though I want to say I'd recommend this book to everyone, there are a few graphic scenes that make it inappropriate for all readers. Though it truly is an extraordinary book of friendship, love, and atonement. 

Rating: 4.5/5 Cups

American Gods

A storm is coming...

Locked behind bars for three years, Shadow did his time, quietly waiting for the magic day when he could return to Eagle Point, Indiana. A man no longer scared of what tomorrow might bring, all he wanted was to be with Laura, the wife he deeply loved, and start a new life.

But just days before his release, Laura and Shadow’s best friend are killed in an accident. With his life in pieces and nothing to keep him tethered, Shadow accepts a job from a beguiling stranger he meets on the way home, an enigmatic man who calls himself Mr. Wednesday. A trickster and rogue, Wednesday seems to know more about Shadow than Shadow does himself.

Life as Wednesday’s bodyguard, driver, and errand boy is far more interesting and dangerous than Shadow ever imagined—it is a job that takes him on a dark and strange road trip and introduces him to a host of eccentric characters whose fates are mysteriously intertwined with his own. Along the way Shadow will learn that the past never dies; that everyone, including his beloved Laura, harbors secrets; and that dreams, totems, legends, and myths are more real than we know. Ultimately, he will discover that beneath the placid surface of everyday life a storm is brewing—an epic war for the very soul of America—and that he is standing squarely in its path.

*May Contain Spoilers*

Neil Gaiman's magical realism combines with stories of global gods in his novel, American Gods, in which gods from different lands find themselves in the United States, brought along by the memories of immigrants. Yet, new gods have now materialized as Americans worship new forms of technology. Presently, these gods are in a battle as less and less people believe in the old gods while nearly everyone believes in the new. But the old gods have a plan, at least one of them anyway, and it will culminate in war. 

Shadow, the main character, is a waif of a man. He wasn't always like this, but prison and losing his wife changed him. As an ex-con, he doesn't exactly care about the direction in which his life is going. So when a random (really not so random) man shows up and offers him a job, Shadow refuses until he can't anymore. Then he starts working for Mr. Wednesday, an old god. Shadow is a man carried by the wind of other people's decisions. Yet, he is dedicated, loyal, and has an air of something more about him. He's seemingly fearless with a 'take-it-as-it-comes' attitude. The most interesting thing about Shadow is that all the interactions with other gods, old and new, make readers see him as more important than he initially seems. I think this intrigue is one of the main factors that drive the story and helps build a connection between Shadow and readers. Shadow isn't a bad person, but he kind of lacks any personable qualities. Though as the story progresses, he seems to gain traits one at a time. As his deceased wife tells him, he's more dead than alive. And the story seemingly works backward from his death to his birth, creating an intricate emotional attachment to his character. 

My favorite sections of the book turned out to be the interludes, or the 'Coming to America' stories. These intermediate chapters are sprinkled throughout the novel, sharing stories of how the old gods were carried to America, with insight into how they stay alive. At first, I thought these sections would feel like interruptions, but they turned out to be more of an offering to the reader. A background that the reader could consume that would help them understand why the old gods are struggling to stay relevant in a technologically advanced world. 

The plot of this novel follows Shadow's release from prison leading him to work for Mr. Wednesday in the hope that Shadow can help Mr. Wednesday to rally the old gods in a fight against the new. Though there are many side-stories like a disappearing girl, Shadow's dead wife coming back to a sort of zombie state, and the interludes, the novel tracks Shadow and Mr. Wednesday road-tripping back and forth across America in hopes to create an army of old gods, some named and some nameless. The novel becomes an intricate map of crisscrossed information and ever-changing situations and people. One of my favorite aspects of this novel is, of course, Neil Gaiman's writing style. The words are willowy and the characters are constantly changing, as if no one could ever really grasp these things called gods. And yet, the whole thing is a con and a simple story of the immigration of beliefs and the lengths one would go to to keep those beliefs alive. 

Rating: 4/5 Cups

The Yellow Birds

In Al Tafar, Iraq, twenty-one-year old Private Bartle and eighteen-year-old Private Murphy cling to life as their platoon launches a bloody battle for the city. In the endless days that follow, the two young soldiers do everything to protect each other from the forces that press in on every side: the insurgents, physical fatigue, and the mental stress that comes from constant danger.

Bound together since basic training when their tough-as-nails Sergeant ordered Bartle to watch over Murphy, the two have been dropped into a war neither is prepared for. As reality begins to blur into a hazy nightmare, Murphy becomes increasingly unmoored from the world around him and Bartle takes impossible actions.

*May Contain Spoilers*

Kevin Powers writes a poetic, yet haunting, tale of one military member's experience with the Iraq war in his novel, The Yellow Birds. Private Bartle made a promise, one that he should never have made, to keep another member alive during their deployment. He failed. His failure haunts him as survivor's guilt shreds his life along with his suffering from PTSD. 

John Bartle is represented as being both bad and good. His assignment as narrator is not easily trusted, as Bartle struggles with remembering what happened in Iraq. As a soldier, Bartle adapted to the war. He killed when he had to, almost automatically, while his mind sometimes questioned what his body was doing. Bartle's memory of Iraq is beautifully described with glints of danger, fear, and horror. The blunt force of what happened in Iraq is positioned carefully in contrast with the beauty of Powers' prose. It almost attacks the reader with its horrific qualities. 

Readers will undoubtedly form an emotional attachment to Bartle. As the chapters switch from past to present, readers see what toll the war takes on Bartle's mind, body, and sense of right and wrong. His PTSD is readily apparent and begs for release. It's heartbreaking and soul shattering in its disparity. 

From the start of the novel, readers know that Private Murphy will die and that Bartle will break his promise to protect him. Though what exactly happened is held back until near the end of the story. Bartle shares the story in pieces, reminiscent of the chalk marks he made on a concrete wall that represented each memory resurfacing. The non-linear timeline creates a poignant chaos of different disasters all culminating in one broken promise. Though the prose is beautiful and the writing style poetic, this novel is not for the faint of heart. It's a struggle to read and to understand, though incredibly moving and powerful in its complexity. 

Rating: 3.5/5 Cups

The Queen of Annam's Daughter

What is it like to leave your native country and language in order to save your life? Anh Truong knows. She was a street-smart girl in war-torn Vietnam, barely made it out of the chaos of Saigon before it fell, and here she is in California, where the sun always shines and everyone is mellow, everyone is easy, everyone can be figured out. She learns fast. She hustles and cajoles and finds love. Maybe she speaks a funny English and maybe she sometimes pushes too hard, but compared to Vietnam, America is easy. Until she realizes that someone from her past is trying to destroy everyone she loves and it will take all her smarts to figure out who it is.

*May Contain Spoilers*

Revenge is in the cards for the main character of Nina Vida's novel, The Queen of Annam's Daughter. After Anh left Vietnam, she decided to leave the war behind her, but the war refused to let her leave. 

Anh Truong is a Vietnamese women trying to live beyond the war that wrecked her homeland of Vietnam. She's a strong woman who overcame forced prostitution, death, and loss. Her story is a harrowing one that will not only intrigue readers, but will also bring about an empathetic response. The main plot line of the novel revolves around Anh's daughter, who she calls Girl, being kidnapped. Anh has no idea who took her, but now it seems that everyone is a threat -- even people she's known for years. As Anh does everything in her power to find Girl, the death count rises. And the only thing the dead bodies have in common is knowing Anh. 

This novel is a mystery that has two main unknowns: who took Girl and why is someone killing Anh's friends and family? As the book progresses, readers will learn about Anh as if they were also one of her friends. Anh is a fast-talking, deal-making, service-offering tornado of a woman who is always focused on the next thing. She tends to ramble and babble, often saying things she shouldn't. Her blunt nature a force that works both for and against her. Readers will definitely find some facets of Anh's personality abrasive, but I think it makes her a more rounded character. She has obvious flaws, but when her inner personality is revealed, her caring nature is adamant. It seems all the hard work she does is for others and this reveals a very giving person underneath all the harsh words and cutting advice. Losing a child in itself is a terrifying thing and the situation adds to the empathy that readers will feel for Anh. 

The plot of The Queen of Annam's Daughter is thoroughly fleshed out. Each suspect that Anh discovers is investigated and their secrets are also revealed. Between most of the chapters there are also sections that take place in Vietnam, before Anh escaped for America, and these lend an authenticity to the story. Nina Vida does a wonderful job in pulling the reader into the Vietnamese culture as well as entertaining them with the story of Anh's kidnapped daughter. I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy mystery, suspense, and historical genres. 

Rating: 4/5 Cups

Library of Souls (Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children #3)

A boy with extraordinary powers. An army of deadly monsters. An epic battle for the future of peculiardom.

The adventure that began with Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children and continued in Hollow City comes to a thrilling conclusion with Library of Souls. As the story opens, sixteen-year-old Jacob discovers a powerful new ability, and soon he’s diving through history to rescue his peculiar companions from a heavily guarded fortress. Accompanying Jacob on his journey are Emma Bloom, a girl with fire at her fingertips, and Addison MacHenry, a dog with a nose for sniffing out lost children.

They’ll travel from modern-day London to the labyrinthine alleys of Devil’s Acre, the most wretched slum in all of Victorian England. It’s a place where the fate of peculiar children everywhere will be decided once and for all. Like its predecessors, Library of Souls blends thrilling fantasy with never-before-published vintage photography to create a one-of-a-kind reading experience.

*May Contain Spoilers*

An absolutely brilliant end to Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children series, Library of Souls by Ransom Riggs is a work of written art. His poetic prose and descriptive nature paints a world in the minds of readers. A world they can't see because they aren't peculiar, but a world that lives along side ours, just the same.

Jacob Portman had just been briefly introduced to a new detail of his peculiar ability in Hollow City: he can speak in Hollowspeak, which is the language of Hollogasts, evil invisible monsters with superior strength. In the opening of this third book, Jacob realizes that he can use the language to control the monsters. Throughout the novel, his knowledge of the language, how to use it, and how to make it work evolve. This seemingly small accomplishment is the key to the survival of the peculiar children. With this talent, Jacob becomes the heroic figure of this epic tale. He describes himself as the new Jacob. A young man who is brave, courageous, loyal, and a leader. Readers will undoubtedly feel connected to Jacob as they've traversed the peculiar world with him through the previous two books. The horrors and betrayals that he has faced, and overcome, will allow readers to believe in future success. However, the odds are not in Jacob's favor without ymbryne help or any other peculiar children. Jacob and Emma must push to find their loved ones while fighting for survival and battling wights and Hollogasts. The reality is that they most likely will fail and this fact has readers hoping beyond hope that a miracle will happen. After all, we haven't committed to the series to watch our heroes die in battle. 

The plot is a complicated twist of loops, successes, and failures. It begins at the same moment Hollow City ended, with Jacob and Emma trying to escape from a Hollogast. They end up in present day London during a Comic-Con where they are able to hide in the crowds and escape the wights. Addison, the daring dog, tracks the scented trail of their peculiar friends and they are all introduced to Sharon, a man who looks like a grim reaper. Sharon agrees to take them to Devil's Acre where they believe Caul to be hiding. Things get tricky as they are met with Ambrosia users --- a drug that enhances peculiar abilities before robbing the body of it's own peculiarity. During all of this adventuring, readers will be pulled even tighter into the story as they witness how persistent and focused Emma and Jacob are. They know that there's a chance they'll never leave Devil's Acre, a chance that no one will, but they continue forward because they're wonderfully loyal friends with hearts full of love for their fellow peculiars. The battle eventually begins and Caul's plans are fully revealed: he wants to visit the Library of Souls so he can consume another peculiar soul and become the King of Peculiardom. The Library of Souls itself is a believed myth among peculiars, but the place does exist and houses thousands of old souls. And Jacob is the key to Caul's success.

I don't want to give away the ending, because it's been a long time coming for readers of Ransom Riggs. I do want to say that this ending does not disappoint, no matter how sad it is that the series is at it's official end. Library of Souls was everything I wanted it to be: satisfying, fantastical, and full of peculiarities. The photos that Riggs chose to accompany his work were perfection. I have always been mystified with the strangeness of the old pictures that exist out there in the world (though Riggs does admit a few were altered). 

For all of you who have read Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children series, I'm glad we've all reached this point together. I can't wait to reread them all, one day soon, and relive the wonderfulness of peculiarity. And for those of you who have yet to read them: do it as soon as you can. You won't be disappointed. The world that Riggs created is amazing and astounding, full of love, friendship, family, good and evil, wars, history, supernatural aspects, and more. 

Here's looking forward to whatever Ransom Riggs comes up with next. 

Rating: 4.5/5 Cups

Miss out on the first two book reviews? Check them out below:

     

Above the Flames

Jasmine’s sixteenth birthday was the worst ever…

All in one day, her dad died, she met a demon, and her mother rejected her existence forever. After all, the demon who killed her dad was there to take her, and all because of her stupid powers—the ability to conjure blue flames.

Two years later, she’s happy. But happy never lasts…

After moving to Idaho to live with her grandparents, Jasmine has a new life. Almost nobody knows about her powers, and she’s just a normal teenager with normal problems. Then comes her eighteenth birthday—and the earthquake that changes her world forever.

An army of demons rise from Hell. And Jasmine is right in the middle of the battle…

When demons claw their way to Earth, Jasmine is surrounded by hundreds of fire-eyed beasts. Worse, she is captured by a big-shot demon named Bael. He’s a tricky foe with a chip on his shoulder—and the desire to make Jasmine use her powers for evil.

Amon is a fallen angel with an attitude—and everything to lose.

Successfully escaping the underworld undetected, Amon is on a quest to regain God’s grace when he rescues Jasmine from the clutches of a particularly nasty demon he knows all too well. The attraction between him and the not-entirely-human captive is instantaneous. Heavenly sparks fly, but ideas of romance will have to wait. First they have to stop the demon race from wiping out the mortal realm. Humanity’s fate rests in their hands.

Can two troubled angels rise above the flames to ensure a future for mankind? Or will Jasmine and Amon’s souls be bound together—in hell?

*May Contain Spoilers*

Many years ago, Heaven and Hell made a deal. If Hell could take down Heaven, then the demons of Hell would be free to try to take over the Earth in 100 days or less. To ensure a second option, five children were chosen to carry Angelic powers in hopes that one day they'd be ready to fight for Earth after Heaven was defeated. That time is now in Cassandra Fear's novel Above the Flames. 

The main characters include Jasmine, Amon, and Bael. All with incredibly different personalities, goals, and histories. Jasmine is a teenage girl who doesn't understand her powers or herself. She's a bit lost while feelings of unfairness and uncertainty swirl within her. She's also a cranky angsty teenager who loves to say 'fan-fricking-tastic,' which is an infixing I could do without. But she is brave, courageous, and loyal when she isn't being snappy and sarcastic. Readers will understand her reluctance at being a hero to the world. Fighting demons is scary business and Fear doesn't shy away from gruesome details. Readers will also connect with Jasmine emotionally after she loses her father, her mother, and both of her grandparents. Though there's more to lose in the 100 days of bloodshed. 

Amon is a fallen angel who spent quite a long time in Hell. Now that he's escaped with the rest of the demons, he's ready to make them pay with help from his friends. Amon is a little behind the times and that adds a side of humor to the book. It also garners the vote of confidence from readers. His admiration for Jasmine is genuine and I think readers will root for their relationship, if she can ever realize that he's truly helpful, strong, and caring. 

Bael is the bad guy, second in charge of Hell, kneeling only to Lucifer. Readers will hate him with a passion. He's horrid and fighting on the wrong side of readers. Bael is sort of intelligent yet malicious, jealous, and emotionless. Fear writes him as the perfect villain, but we haven't gotten to see what Lucifer has planned, so maybe he'll come in second on that list as well. 

The plot beings with Jasmine's father dying during a demon encounter then flashes forward two years. Hell has beaten Heaven and it's time to scorch the Earth. Amon and his fallen angels make contact with Jasmine and two other Angel Blessed (humans blessed with Angelic powers). They decide to join together to defeat the demons. Meanwhile, Bael tries to kidnap all of the Angel Blessed in order to convert them to his side. Bloodshed is bountiful as angel faces demon in this supernatural showdown. And it's only the beginning as this is the first in a trilogy. The storyline keeps the interest of readers while Fear sets up the war, but I hope in the future books Jasmine grows into a more level-headed character who isn't so quick to anger. I fear it may be her Achilles' heel. 

Rating: 3/5 Cups

Mabel Crowley: Book One

Mabel Crowley, the only child of a wealthy English banker, wants nothing more than to be rid of her last name and wed her first love, stable-boy Charlie Archer, whose own hopes reside in becoming a partner in his father’s livery yard. Her parents forbid the union and whisk the impulsive child away to Bath so that she might forget her troubles. Distraught and vowing that she will never love again, Mabel impulsively accepts a teaching position while on vacation in Bath, certain that this will ensure her spinsterhood and prove her undying love for Charlie.

Irene Hartley, a five-year-old student desperately in love with her new teacher, persuades her parents to offer Mabel a position as governess to their growing brood. Her father is Theodore Hartley, the obscenely wealthy and renowned railroad tycoon. Theodore sees how his daughter has grown attached to Mabel, and after his wife dies in childbirth, he makes Mabel an offer of a permanent nature to make his eldest daughter happy. Still madly in love with Charlie, Mabel returns home to find out whether he has carried the same love in his heart in the years they’ve been apart. She finds him boarding a train, in uniform, ready to serve his country in World War I. Will she act once again on impulse, or will she make her decision based on hope for her future?

 

*May Contain Spoilers*

 

E.H. Nolan begins an epic tale of love and sacrifice with Mabel Crowley: Book One. Finding one's first love is always a life changing experience, but when it's true, that love never ends. Mabel and Charlie grew close as children and fell in love shortly thereafter. The differences in their social stations stopped them from joining their lives and each of them regret that decision every day.

 

Mabel Crowley is an emotional young girl at the beginning of the book. She has fanciful whims that often lead to passionate focus. She falls in love with Charlie and fears it is unreciprocated while her parents push her to understand that he's beneath her in social status. Readers will witness Mabel's growth into an intelligent young woman in this first book. Through heartbreak, Mabel finds that teaching is a respectable and fulfilling position. Readers will enjoy her love for children and understand her decision to remain unmarried, though we all hope she'll end up with Charlie in the end. As Mabel turns from teacher to governess, readers see her blossom into a loving and deeply caring woman. This lays a strong foundation that book two will surely build upon.

 

Since Charlie fell in love with Mabel, he's had eyes for no one else. Charlie is the heir of Archer and Sons, a business that boards horses and offers riding lessons. Charlie is a down to earth gentleman, focused and level-headed. Mabel is the only woman he has ever wanted but he's convinced himself that she's married and happy and has forgotten all about him. Readers will understand this line of thinking as it offers Charlie a chance to move on, but we know the truth. It seems that Mabel and Charlie are meant to be but will Nolan write them together or are the next installments filled with more heartache?

 

The love story of Mabel and Charlie seems doomed at the end of book one, but readers will be hoping for a miracle. After tragedy strikes, Mabel is offered a position to inherit a fortune and three children. It seems perfect but it comes with heavy stipulations. Meanwhile, Charlie is off to war to defend his country. Surely if there are four more books then Charlie doesn't meet death like everyone believes he will. The cliffhanger ending certainly adds an air of mystery and nervousness to the novel. The only thing I didn't like about the story is that I felt like it was being told to me instead of making me feel like I was part of it. The writing style is clear and concise, without a lot of flair or dramatics. Readers who enjoy easy reads with simple semantics will like Mabel Crowley as it has just enough action to keep readers engaged and a love story that resonates with many.

 

Rating: 3/5 Cups

Wytchfire (Dragonkin Trilogy #1)

In a land haunted by the legacy of dead dragons, Rowen Locke has been many things: orphan, gravedigger, mercenary. All he ever wanted was to become a Knight of Crane and wield a kingsteel sword against the kind of grown horrors his childhood knows all too well.

But that dream crumbled—replaced by a new nightmare.
War is overrunning the realms, an unprecedented duel of desire and revenge, steel and sorcery. And for one disgraced man who would be a knight, in a world where no one is blameless, the time has come to decide which side he’s on.

*May Contain Spoilers*

 

The war is coming and it brings The Nightmare with it. Michael Meyerhofer writes of a land separated by races with grudges and myths that have lasted too long in his novel, Wytchfire, the first in the Dragonkin Trilogy. As cities are destroyed by a beast made of smoke that burns through everything it touches, one down-trodden man may be the key to stopping it.

 

Rowen Locke followed in his brother's footsteps to become a Knight on the Lotus Isles, only to be kicked out before he received his Knighthood with no reason as to why. Though being raised in the slums of Lyos, and working as a mercenary and a sellsword may have something to do with it. Rowen is an incredible character. He's loyal, brave, true to himself, and has outstanding morals. Readers will know that he's the key to stopping this magic takeover before he does. Rowen is open-minded and nice in a world that doesn't appreciate those attributes. He risks his life over and over again to prove that there are things more important than glory and pride, which gains him both in the process.

 

The story begins with Rowen being mugged and beaten up by a couple of ruffians after he's kicked off the Lotus Isles. This sets him on a path toward Jalist, an old friend, who tells him about The Throng, an army hiring sellswords and sweeping across the lands to take over everything. Though there's more at work here than just that. Rowen refuses to join Jalist and instead runs into a man who changes his life by giving Rowen a legendary sword without any knowledge of its importance. Between the sword and Silwren, a beautiful wytch, combined with Rowen's bravery, the city of Lyos may have a chance. Wytchfire is an adventurous book full of magic and death, love and life, rebellion and salvation. However, it's just the beginning. And the end foretells much more to come.

 

Rating: 4/5 Cups

Sleeper Protocol

Kieran Roark awakens in a wheelchair, unable to remember anything. As part of a classified experiment, he will have one year to learn his identity and recover his memory, or he will be euthanized by the state.

Scientist Berkeley Bennett has one mission: manipulate Kieran’s emotions in an attempt to bring back his memory. But when she falls in love with him, she is forced to make a harrowing decision that may cost Kieran his life.

What Kieran knows could save Earth from a coming war. Whether he believes the future is worth saving is another matter. Racing across an unfamiliar world in a body he does not recall, Kieran needs to discover who he was and, more importantly, who he is.

*May Contain Spoilers*

 

Kevin Ikenberry writes of a future that is peaceful after many years of war, death, and alien invasion in his book Sleeper Protocol. However, some people think that the peace will only last as long as it takes the next wave of alien invaders to reach Earth. Those people want to prepare the world to fight, an action that most have forgotten. And that is exactly where Sleepers come into play.

 

Kieran is the main character of this novel, though readers don't know his name and neither does he. He's the first Sleeper to be awakened for a program that brings soldiers back from the dead in a new and improved replicated body. This is a unique situation because readers get to experience and learn who Kieran is at the same rate that he does. He's on a journey of discovery and readers get to witness him reuniting with himself. This platform creates a strong foundation for a character connection. Especially since he was woken up to save the world. Kieran was a hero in his former life and the people of the future need that heroism. Though Kieran is a bit naïve, falling in love quickly and being too trusting of those around him, he's a good man. He's honest, open, and very loyal.

 

The plot of Sleeper Protocol is like nothing I've ever read about before. Three hundred years into the future, aliens have invaded, flying cars are everywhere, and peace is abundant but on the verge of collapse. The Defense Counsel needs to awaken soldiers from the past in order to inspire the population to fight for their planet. A new experiment has begun in which deceased soldiers are awakened and given a walkabout - a time to find out who they are and integrate. Kieran is the first and he's under heavy observation. Berkeley is sent to make an emotional connection with Kieran in order to promote his integration. Unexpectedly they fall in love, compromising the mission. Also unexpectedly, the Artificial Intelligence embedded in Kieran's brain begins to think she's alive and fights back. Though I fully enjoyed the story, some of the explanations of protocol and missions and technological processes were confusing. It took a bit of the fun away from the story. My favorite part of the novel was Kieran's innate guidance to return to where he originally came from. I found the fact that home transcended death fascinating and original. Sleeper Protocol is a high stakes novel that fights for survival and promises a sequel.

 

Rating: 3/5 Cups

Persuasion (The Spymaster's Men #2)

Amelia Greystone was deeply in love when the Earl of St. Just abruptly ended his courtship and left Cornwall ten years earlier. So she is stunned when Simon returns, recently widowed. Now she must forget the past they shared and his betrayal and console him as any neighbor would. Simon has changed; he is dark and haunted now but he can still make her reel with a single look. When he offers her the position of housekeeper, Amelia knows she must refuse. But for the sake of his children, she throws all caution to the wind.

A British spy, Simon Grenville is now playing both sides in a time of war, his goal to keep his sons safe. Yet when he is brought face-to-face with the woman he once loved, he realizes nothing about his feelings for Amelia has changed; if anything, they are even stronger. Still, Simon knows he must stay away from Amelia; his life is too dangerous now. But sometimes passion is too strong to be denied.

*May Contain Spoilers*

 

The title was the first thing that caused me to pick up this book. Persuasion immediately made me think of Jane Austen. The love story intrigued me. Reunited after ten years, two people who were in love once have another chance. But it was the spy aspect that sold me. I'm a huge fan of spy novels (and movies). They add a certain intrigue to a character and a sense of adventure to the plot.  And let me tell you, Persuasion, by Brenda Joyce did not disappoint.

 

Amelia is the main character that readers follow throughout this novel. She's overly compassionate, faithful, extremely loyal, persistent, and very nosy. Readers will understand her remaining heartbreak from the first time Simon Grenville was involved in her life. And they'll definitely know that she's still in love with him, before she realizes it herself. Her character is quite loveable and understandable. She's a trusting woman who knows her morals yet still pushes the boundaries.

 

Simon Grenville is a man who does anything to survive. A man who is willing to do anything to protect his children. He's also a spy for Great Britain as they face France in 1794. But when he was caught, he also swore to be a spy for France. Playing the double agent is a dangerous game and Simon knows it. He's terrified of what will happen to him and his family. Readers will understand this and acknowledge (at least) his attempt at keeping his two (three?) lives separate. Simon is a dark and twisted character. He's witnessed too much terror and death to be able to escape it.

 

The plot of Persuasion hinges on the death of Simon's wife where Amelia sees Simon for the first time in a decade. She sees how much Simon and his children are hurting and she can't look away. Her compassion leads her to interfere, wanting to help in any way she can. Soon she takes the position of Simon's housekeeper in order to take care of the children, and Simon. Her feelings for him haven't disappeared, no matter how much she tries to fight it. And his feelings for her have only increased. As Simon tries to save his family from the war, Amelia tries to save Simon from himself. The story line was quite intriguing, kept me turning pages. The war sections were a little confusing to me. I am not a history buff and the whole double agent play mixed me up a few times. I found myself skimming through the details of his work, reading just enough to get the gist. Persuasion wasn't as light and easy a read as other romance novels, very serious and lacking in the witty sarcasm that some romance authors use, but it was still enjoyable. However, a war time love story is an enduring love story. Joyce did a great job at keeping the love story aligned with what was happening in the country.

 

Rating: 4/5 Cups