Best War & Military Action Fiction
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Lee Child returns with a gripping new powerhouse thriller featuring Jack Reacher, “one of this century’s most original, tantalizing pop-fiction heroes” ( The Washington Post ). Reacher takes a stroll through a small Wisconsin town and sees a class ring in a pawn shop window: West Point 2005. Reacher wonders what unlucky circumstance made her give up something she earned over four hard years. So begins a harrowing journey that takes Reacher through the upper Midwest, from a lowlife bar on the sad side of small town to a dirt-blown crossroads in the middle of nowhere, encountering bikers, cops, crooks, muscle, and a missing persons PI who wears a suit and a tie in the Wyoming wilderness. Praise for The Midnight Line “Puts Reacher just where we want him.” — The. New York Times Book Review. [and] suggests something that has not been visible in the series’ previous entries: a creeping sadness in Reacher’s wanderings that, set here among the vast and empty landscapes of Wyoming, resembles the peculiarly solitary loneliness of the classic American hero. “Puts Reacher just where we want him.” — TheNew York Times Book Review “A gem.” — Chicago Tribune. I don’t know another author so skilled at making me turn the page, at putting me in the thick of it all.” — The Times. “Compulsively readable.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review) “[A] multifaceted novel about dealing with the unthinkable . [and] suggests something that has not been visible in the series’ previous entries: a creeping sadness in Reacher’s wanderings that, set here among the vast and empty landscapes of Wyoming, resembles the peculiarly solitary loneliness of the classic American hero. “Child does a stellar job this time by not following his customary formula; his usually stoic hero who rarely displays softness and compassion is hit hard emotionally by this case.”’ — Library Journal (starred review).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Even though the movie rights belong to Tom Cruise, Lee Child has no reason to reduce the size and presence of his star character. The longest journey begins with but a single step and Mr. Child takes his readers on what appears to be a simple quest to make things right. This novel is a perfect example of how someone's imagination has allowed them to create an interesting, insightful, and enjoyable read while informing us about two major problems affecting today's society. When you finish reading it, and I'll bet that you won't want it to end, the artistry with which Mr. Child tied all of his subplots together will be wonderfully apparent."
"Instead, Reacher, a former Army MP major, puts on his Military Police cap and does some serious sleuthing from the opening scene where he finds a West Point class ring in a pawn shot in Rapid City South Dakota to his search to find the rightful owner of the ring in Wyoming. He decides that maybe he can help the owner of the ring and immediately starts gathering clues to identify this fellow West Pointer. Of course, as the story develops, a simple lost and found case becomes dangerous as Reacher creates enemies in the oxycodone and fentanyl drug trafficking business. I am guessing some readers are going to be unhappy that there is less violent action in The Midnight Line than in a typical Reacher story. Update 2: I wrote this review two months ago and predicted this new Reacher novel would go right to the top of the best seller list, which is where it stands on this first day of publication."
A SECRET THAT WAS NEVER SUPPOSED TO BE FOUND. However, when an unknown group immediately becomes interested in her work, Alison realizes John Clay may be the only person she can trust. - Gail Ward "You'll miss a great experience if you don't read this book." "After I finished "Breakthrough" at 11pm in bed I immediately bought his next book; "Amid The Shadows" without even reading the synopsis or the reviews. Being retired and having read several hundred Kindle books, I can honestly say this has to be the most exciting heart pounding story I have yet read on my Kindle. I give it 10 stars out of 5 and - as another reviewer said "I guarantee you'll be downloading his next book.... As a postscript, I finished the book, found that the author had another Amazon book available, Amid the Shadows, and immediately downloaded it. I expect great things from Mr. Grumley and am looking for his next book.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I am 72 years old and I have been reading science fiction since I discovered the genre 68 years ago."
"I am going to buy the next book now to see how the story continues."
"I am tired of reading sci-fi with the promise of an interesting topic and then the author manages to make it boring."
"The story was interesting and well written."
"Clive Cussler better watch his six as this new author takes off!"
"There was much criticism of waves not being about to cancel each other.....Please note that waves can cancel each other out such as standing waves which are the result of two equal waves are going in opposite direction and in this case you get the usual up/down motion of the water surface but the waves don’t progress."
"The story line was enhanced at the beginning by the well-described, but disparate, scenarios of Naval submarine issues in the Caribbean, research on dolphin communications in Miami, and strange events occurring in Antarctica. Having the Miami aquarium research lab rebuilt just like that after the government took it apart was also unrealistic, as was the contrived protection of the populace on the island preceding the second nuclear explosion."
"I liked the story."
To save mankind's future, the members of Sigma Force must make a devil's bargain as they join forces with their most hated enemy to stop an ancient threat in this gripping adventure from #1 New York Times bestselling author James Rollins. Strangest of all, this inexplicable threat traces back to a terrifying secret buried a century ago beneath the National Mall: a cache of bones preserved in amber. An ancient horror. ―. dormant in the marrow of those preserved bones. ―. is free once more, nursed and developed into a weapon of incalculable strength and malignancy, ready to wreak havoc on an unsuspecting world. “Rollins’ latest Sigma Force novel is one of the best in the series....The mix of science, history, and high-concept adventure is always first-rate in a Rollins novel....Devotees of Clive Cussler and Steve Berry are no doubt reading Rollins already, but if they’re not, what’s keeping them?” ( Booklist (starred review)). “Bone-chilling.” (Publishers Weekly (starred review) ). “Bestseller Rollins’s epic...features exotic locales, heroic quests, quixotic villains, action galore, and enough science and scientific curiosities to titillate even casual readers....Rollins’s characters are as large as his landscape in this vast and vastly entertaining thriller saga.” ( Publishers Weekly (starred review)). About James Rollins JAMES ROLLINS is a #1 New York Times bestselling author of international thrillers that have been translated into more than forty languages. Rollins' rare blend of action, suspense, and knowledge was also mentioned by the Huffington Post, which stated that "After Crichton passed away in 2008 he clearly passed the baton to James Rollins, who like Crichton, is a renaissance man." This hands-on knowledge of medicine and science helps shape the research and scientific speculation that set James Rollins books apart.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I'm a long time reader of James Rollins and as good as his other Sigma Force books are, I would have to say that this is clearly his best to date."
"If you like action/adventure novels...read this."
"This book was awesome, so full of action, suspense, danger asking with hope."
"James Rollins is easily one of my favorite authors and over the years I've pre-ordered all of his books since I first discovered him around the time Map of Bones was written."
"I will not reveal any of the plot or story but the ending is quite an interesting twist with an old enemy."
"The adventure itself is on the level of a Dan Brown novel."
"Non stop action from beginning to end."
"I love this author's insight into every place his characters travel."
Best Sea Adventures Fiction
New York Times Bestseller * Los Angeles Times Bestseller * Washington Post Bestseller * San Francisco Chronicle Bestseller * Chicago Tribune Bestseller. Yann Martel's imaginative and unforgettable Life of Pi is a magical reading experience, an endless blue expanse of storytelling about adventure, survival, and ultimately, faith. After a harrowing shipwreck, Pi finds himself adrift in the Pacific Ocean, trapped on a 26-foot lifeboat with a wounded zebra, a spotted hyena, a seasick orangutan, and a 450-pound Bengal tiger named Richard Parker ("His head was the size and color of the lifebuoy, with teeth"). After much gore and infighting, Pi and Richard Parker remain the boat's sole passengers, drifting for 227 days through shark-infested waters while fighting hunger, the elements, and an overactive imagination. A fabulous romp through an imagination by turns ecstatic, cunning, despairing and resilient, this novel is an impressive achievement "a story that will make you believe in God," as one character says. Halfway to Midway Island, the ship sinks into the Pacific, leaving Pi stranded on a life raft with a hyena, an orangutan, an injured zebra and a 450-pound Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. Martel's potentially unbelievable plot line soon demolishes the reader's defenses, cleverly set up by events of young Pi's life that almost naturally lead to his biggest ordeal.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Just like any other book that was made into a movie, it has much more detail, a greater ability to grab you, and it is moving."
"What I found most fascinating is how it grips the reader despite being predominantly a narrative with very little dialogue in the very limited geography of a small boat, where the protagonist finds himself stranded after his ship capsizes."
"This book is mistakenly portrayed as a children's movie, when in fact it's much more graphic with disturbing images of despair. I would not recommend (the book) for sensitive children. I felt compelled to write this review (as a young adult with no children, who hates book censorship) after being disturbed by a 7-year old who couldn't wait to read this on his Kindle after getting out of the theater."
"I tried to read Life of Pi when it was an Oprah Book Club selection, but for whatever reason I just couldn't get into it. I tend to focus my faith on the mysteries of the observable; that's where I feel my quest for understanding is enjoined. There was a specific sense of identity and empathy for what Pi experiences on his harrowing journey."
"I was sad and would tear up when he reminisced about his family that had apparently gone down with the boat. And just as Pi was ready to give up on life and die in the ocean, I was thinking “Man, I wish he would hit land soon.”. I give Life of Pi 4 stars."
"This story has stayed with me for years and I have read it 3 times."
Best Suspense
A young woman is found brutally murdered, and the main suspect is the victim’s fiancé, a hideously scarred Iraq War vet known as the Burned Man. Do yourself a favor and give this bright talent a read.” —John Hart, multiple Edgar Award winner and New York Times bestselling author of Redemption Road. Barbara Nickless has written a twisting, tortured novel that speaks with brutal honesty of the lingering traumas of war, including and especially those wounds we cannot see. I fell hard for Parnell and her four-legged partner and can't wait to read more.” —Vicki Pettersson, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Swerve. Barbara Nickless has fashioned a beautifully drawn hero in take-charge, take-no-prisoners Sydney Parnell, former Marine and now a railway cop battling a deadly gang as she investigates their purported connection to a recent murder. Skilled in evoking emotion from the reader, Nickless is a master of the craft, a writer to keep your eyes on.” —Chris Goff, author of Dark Waters. “Barbara Nickless’s Blood on the Tracks is raw and authentic, plunging readers into the fascinating world of tough railroad cop Special Agent Sydney Rose Parnell and her Malinois sidekick, Clyde. Haunted by her military service in Iraq, Sydney Rose is brought in by the Denver Major Crimes unit to help solve a particularly brutal murder, leading her into a snake pit of hate and betrayal. Full of the suspense that holds you on the edge of your seat, it’s also replete with acts of bravery, moments of hope, and a host of feelings that keep the story’s intensity level high. An active member of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime, she has given workshops and speeches at numerous writing conferences and book events.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Here's a quick rundown, without spoilers: THE HEROINE -- At first, it appeared this was going to be another female character who somehow seems to do everything right despite all the angst she has to lug around. Her scene descriptions are vivid, and the attention to the thoughts of her main character Sydney is wonderful. ADDITIONAL WRITING THOUGHT -- The author uses transcripts of the main character's notes, interviews, journals, etc. I don't subtract stars if an author chooses to include language or sex, just letting potential readers know both exist in this book. For me, I enjoy when an author drops clues throughout the book that add up to a strong justification when the murderer is finally revealed, and I personally thought this could have been handled a little better. HOWEVER...even with the "twists" issue, the story is excellent and I found myself really liking the character of Sydney Parnell."
"Since I enjoy reading police procedural novels, I didn’t need to go past the summary description that this one included a K-9 partner to immediately select it as my Kindle First choice. While this is an especially interesting police procedural story since Sydney Rose Parnell and Clyde are part of a railroad police force, it goes much deeper."
"I was hooked from the first chapter - drawn in by the main character, Sydney, who hides her complex and compassionate nature beneath a stoic exterior."
Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Action Fiction
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Lee Child returns with a gripping new powerhouse thriller featuring Jack Reacher, “one of this century’s most original, tantalizing pop-fiction heroes” ( The Washington Post ). Reacher takes a stroll through a small Wisconsin town and sees a class ring in a pawn shop window: West Point 2005. Reacher wonders what unlucky circumstance made her give up something she earned over four hard years. So begins a harrowing journey that takes Reacher through the upper Midwest, from a lowlife bar on the sad side of small town to a dirt-blown crossroads in the middle of nowhere, encountering bikers, cops, crooks, muscle, and a missing persons PI who wears a suit and a tie in the Wyoming wilderness. Powerful forces are guarding a vast criminal enterprise. Praise for The Midnight Line “Puts Reacher just where we want him.” — The. New York Times Book Review. “A gem.” — Chicago Tribune “A timely, suspenseful, morally complex thriller, one of the best I’ve read this year . Child weaves in a passionately told history of opioids in American life. I don’t know another author so skilled at making me turn the page, at putting me in the thick of it all.” — The Times “Reacher is the purest distillation of the white knight in contemporary mystery fiction. As always in a Child novel, pace is fast, twists and turns surprise, characters are well-developed, dialogue is exactly right, and the plot is very plausible. One of the best thrillers I’ve read this year.” — The Washington Post “Jack Reacher has become arguably the most iconic fictional hero we have.” — Men’s Health “Compelling and moving . bold and mysterious.” — Associated Press “This, Child’s twenty-second book in the series, has heart to spare, and it proves the franchise has plenty of gas left in its tank.” — Minneapolis Star-Tribune “Compulsively readable.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review) “[A] multifaceted novel about dealing with the unthinkable . It’s automatic: Reacher gets off a bus, and Child lands on the New York Times bestseller list.” — Booklist “The book is very smart . [and] suggests something that has not been visible in the series’ previous entries: a creeping sadness in Reacher’s wanderings that, set here among the vast and empty landscapes of Wyoming, resembles the peculiarly solitary loneliness of the classic American hero. “Child does a stellar job this time by not following his customary formula; his usually stoic hero who rarely displays softness and compassion is hit hard emotionally by this case.”’ — Library Journal (starred review). A native of England and a former television director, Child lives in New York City.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Even though the movie rights belong to Tom Cruise, Lee Child has no reason to reduce the size and presence of his star character. The longest journey begins with but a single step and Mr. Child takes his readers on what appears to be a simple quest to make things right. This novel is a perfect example of how someone's imagination has allowed them to create an interesting, insightful, and enjoyable read while informing us about two major problems affecting today's society. When you finish reading it, and I'll bet that you won't want it to end, the artistry with which Mr. Child tied all of his subplots together will be wonderfully apparent."
"Instead, Reacher, a former Army MP major, puts on his Military Police cap and does some serious sleuthing from the opening scene where he finds a West Point class ring in a pawn shot in Rapid City South Dakota to his search to find the rightful owner of the ring in Wyoming. He decides that maybe he can help the owner of the ring and immediately starts gathering clues to identify this fellow West Pointer. Of course, as the story develops, a simple lost and found case becomes dangerous as Reacher creates enemies in the oxycodone and fentanyl drug trafficking business. I am guessing some readers are going to be unhappy that there is less violent action in The Midnight Line than in a typical Reacher story. Update 2: I wrote this review two months ago and predicted this new Reacher novel would go right to the top of the best seller list, which is where it stands on this first day of publication."
Best Action & Adventure Romance Fiction
As Walker Gibson looks at her, then at the damage to his precious truck (that she may or may not have accidentally inflicted), she knows she’s in trouble. The damage to Walker’s truck is the first of many mistakes between the two of them, ending with truths that rock Sienna’s world. Nothing can fix her broken heart except the love of a man that won’t, maybe even can’t, love her back. Nobody writes small town romance like Locke . Whether it's old money or blue collar like Crank, she has a way of bringing the story to life in the most romantic and relatable way. Her stories are small town magic. Crank was everything I needed, everything I wanted, everything that's good and right about a sweet, sexy, and heartwarming contemporary romance. These Gibson boys will DESTROY hearts and ovaries . Adriana Locke can write romance like no one else . There is nothing better than a well written family dynamic in a love story. This is the first book in a very long time that has absorbed me.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I loved this book. This story is full of jokes, laughter, truths, questions, hurt, pain, lies, friendship, family, and love. Sienna sneaks up on him. He might be Walker's cousin, but he is team Sienna all the way. Sienna has always stood outside her family while still being a part of it."
"Get Locke(d) and loaded, not to mention ready to be Cranked to the maximum, people because you’re about to discover a brand new world. From the sexy as f*** hero, Walker Gibson to the sweetest heroine, Sienna Landry, we have one kick-a** story. It revolves around Walker’s garage where Sienna ends up working to pay off an unexpected debt. He meets Sienna when she gets caught after accidentally smashing his truck’s headlight with a baseball stick. But, the chemistry when that meeting took place could have set fire to a wet stick, it was so incendiary. When Sienna shows up next day to pay for the damages, Walker isn’t prepared for the effect she has on him. She’s trouble with a capital T, something she proves when he leaves her alone of a few minutes and she lets two customers drive off with the cars without paying their bills. Walker’s unsure if he wants Sienna there, she’s a distraction he could well do without, but she makes a great impression on him and he relents. This is where Adriana shines the most, the way she portrays her characters, the way they just climb off the pages and into our hearts. Walker’s family is great, the dynamics of it was simply awesome, the banter, joking and pure ‘caring’ just draws you in."
"They have everyday jobs and close relationships with their siblings, cousins and their grandma. They live in a small town where everyone knows your business. They have normal struggles like money, loss, relationship issues, work stress and nosy family members. Crank is Walker and Sienna's story. He's a grease monkey who took over his dad's auto shop. She's strong, sassy, smart and is just trying to find her way. Walker's precious trunk meets Sienna's practice swing. She's going to see him every day in his tight t-shirts and jeans and rough, sexy hands. The attraction has Sienna's skin sizzling. These brothers are going to make us all swoon to death! When I start a new series, I always have a favorite, but I can't decide between these Gibson boys. Those guys are clean-shaven, hair gelled, politically-correct boys I’ve met at a fashion event or political rally."
Best Fantasy Adventure Fiction
Then, on Harry's eleventh birthday, a great beetle-eyed giant of a man called Rubeus Hagrid bursts in with some astonishing news: Harry Potter is a wizard, and he has a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He is left only with a lightning-bolt scar on his forehead, curiously refined sensibilities, and a host of mysterious powers to remind him that he's quite, yes, altogether different from his aunt, uncle, and spoiled, piglike cousin Dudley. Of course, Uncle Vernon yells most unpleasantly, "I AM NOT PAYING FOR SOME CRACKPOT OLD FOOL TO TEACH HIM MAGIC TRICKS!" So far it has won the National Book Award, the Smarties Prize, the Children's Book Award, and is short-listed for the Carnegie Medal, the U.K. version of the Newbery Medal. After 11 years of disregard and neglect at the hands of his aunt, uncle and their swinish son Dudley, Harry suddenly receives a visit from a giant named Hagrid, who informs Harry that his mother and father were a witch and a wizard, and that he is to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry himself.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"SPECIAL NOTE: For U.S. customers purchasing the illustrated edition of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, you will notice the text has NOT been converted to the "Americanized" version of the original U.S. releases (with the exception of changing all "Philosopher's Stone" mentions to "Sorcerer's Stone"). Good or bad is naturally for each reader to decide--just know, if you plan to read the books while listening to Jim Dale's audiobooks, you'll notice a few superficial differences. The quality of this new illustrated edition is phenomenal. All chapter intros are illustrated."
"IMPORTANT: For U.S. customers purchasing the illustrated edition of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, you will notice the text has NOT been converted to the "Americanized" version of the original U.S. releases. This difference isn't as prominent or noticeable as it was with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's/Philosopher's Stone, but still something to keep in mind. Also, to answer a question that has come up quite a bit, this is the FULL BOOK and not an abridged or shortened version. Underneath the book jacket, the novel is bound in a sturdy orange hardback with green lettering on the spine."
"If you're an adult and have not read this series before (even if you've seen the movies), I encourage you to read the books. Whether it's the originals or these, the series is sure to be one of the best you've read and much better than the movies, of course."
Best Travel Adventure Fiction
The acclaimed modern science fiction masterpiece, included on Library Journal 's Best SFF of 2016, the Barnes & Nobles Sci-Fi Fantasy Blog Best Books of 2015, the Tor.com Best Books of 2015, Reader’s Choice, as well as nominated for the Arthur C. Clarke Award, the Kitschie, and the Bailey's Women's Prize. To survive, Rosemary’s got to learn how to rely on this assortment of oddballs—an experience that teaches her about love and trust, and that having a family isn’t necessarily the worst thing in the universe. Although it isn't shy about tackling Big Questions, Planet is a heart-warming debut novel that will restore your faith in science fiction (specifically) and humanity (in general). The patched-up ship has seen better days, but it offers her everything she could possibly want: a spot to call home, a chance to explore the far-off corners of the galaxy and some distance from her past. From Sissix, the exotic reptilian pilot, to Kizzy and Jenks, the chatty engineers who keep the ship running, to the noble captain Ashby, life aboard is chaotic and crazy—exactly what Rosemary wants. Sure, they’ll earn enough money to live comfortably for years, but risking her life wasn’t part of the job description.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The focal character is Rosemary, a young human woman who has chosen to travel far from home in order to escape the stigma of a scandal back on Mars. The Doctor-Chef (the ship's medical officer and cook) has six limbs and multiple throats that make human speech a bit difficult. All of the ship's humans that have romantic entanglements with non-humans , including one with an AI, one with her shoes (that's a joke, sort of), and one with a member of an irresistibly gorgeous humanoid species that communicates through skin color. This description may make my 3-star rating seem a bit stingy, especially after I say that Chambers writes well and that there are moments of real warmth, humor, and excitement in the book."
"The author has great writing skills but she goes into excruciating detail in character development instead of plot development."
"I really liked it, the group of people interacting in this space opera where a perfect mix of brave and endearing, you immediately felt like you new them and learned to care about them."
"It’s a character story that flies through a little bit of each crew members corner of the galaxy and brings you to an exciting and touching finish."
"So sitting down to read this book in the waining of November, having found a suggestion on some random blog, I was hoping more for an adventure with dueling spaceships and dark sinister plots. What I loved most is that even in that one spot where the book could have fallen back to troupes about laser pistol duels in the belly of a ship, it didn't."
"The author does a good job depicting species with different physical characteristics and unique personalities, resulting in a believable story."
"Fantastic science fiction book about a person's journey... both from one place to another as well as a journey of self, discovering who (and what) she is and finding a family."
Best Women's Adventure Fiction
Add that her arm keeps sticking to her dress from syrup left on the console of her car, flustered feels like an understatement. Graham Landry is the epitome of NSFW in his custom-fit suit, black-rimmed glasses, and a look so stern her libido doesn’t stand a chance. - Ilsa Madden-Mills, WSJ Bestselling author"Switch is everything an office romance should be. "It's one of those drop everything , do the laundry tomorrow, the dishes can wait, and the kids can have cereal for dinner type of novels." "A delicious, sexy , cant put the book down until you've read it all and then need to restart in case you missed something kind of adventure!" USA Today and Amazon Top 10 Bestselling author Adriana Locke lives and breathes books. She spends a large amount of time playing with her kids, drinking coffee, and cooking. Goodreads Group: All Locked Up Twitter: @AuthorALocke IG: @authoradrianalocke Facebook: /authoradrianalocke Pinterest: /authoradrianalo.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"And through reading, he really seems to be the most flawed; he wants to come across as so put together and the leader in the family- and he really is; all of the siblings look to him for guidance and reassurance- but that just adds to his mysteriousness. She was such a complex character,and felt to real, not really knowing what she wanted out of life."
"Next to Lincoln's book, Graham's story is one of my favourites in this series. The chemistry between Graham and Mallory, you could feel it in each page of the book!"
"Add that her arm keeps sticking to her dress from syrup left on the console of her car, flustered feels like an understatement. Graham Landry is the epitome of NSFW in his custom-fit suit, black-rimmed glasses, and a look so stern her libido doesn’t stand a chance. Not because of his pinpoint exactness or her free spirit, but because when they’re together, the sparks that fly threaten to burn the whole place down."
"Oh my gosh...my favorite line in this book was from Joy "I wasn’t even sure which one I wanted. There is something about Graham that I just adore...I don't know if it's broodiness or his protective nature of his family or just because he's sexy and sweet! brooding man lose control and fall in love!"
"Graham is my favorite Landry yet!! The way that their relationship blooms is perfect."
"This is a story about first love, young love finding yourself when you are young and don't know what you want and then about finding that first love all over again when you think you don't care anymore. I love the way Ford and Ellie's story is told and has you thinking of them as real people that are your friends."
Best Men's Adventure Fiction
BETRAYAL: Imagine Chris Kyle's AMERICAN SNIPER meets David Baldacci's ABSOLUTE POWER. Presumed dead after a staged terrorist attack, FBI Agent Odysseus Carr is running for his life with the doctor who rescued him. As Odi unravels a devious plot of profound political manipulation and global consequence, the hunted becomes the hunter, and the real terror begins. If you enjoy David Baldacci, Lee Child, Tom Clancy, Nelson DeMille, Ken Follett, Vince Flynn, Andrew Peterson, Daniel Silva, Brad Taylor, or Brad Thor, odds are you'll be smiling a few pages into my books as well. I'm not in a position to help you with tuition yet, but I can provide days of delightful distraction for the price of a cup of coffee, and kind reviews will get good karma sent your way. All the characters contribute in their own unique way to the pace, intensity, depth and complexity of a gripping story that is sure to pull you in. It's no surprise that Tim Tigner was once a Green Beret and specialized in counterintelligence - his expertise drives the story onward through some complicated waters and makes it totally realistic. This is the second time I've read a Tim Tigner novel and it seems to me his works are begging to be made into action movies - they have all the elements to keep viewers in their seats, if only on the edge.--Valerie for ValerieTalksBooks. -- Leslie O'brien Dear Reader, If you enjoy David Baldacci, Lee Child, Tom Clancy, Nelson DeMille,Ken Follett, Vince Flynn, Andrew Peterson, Daniel Silva, Brad Taylor, or Brad Thor, odds are you'll be smiling a few pages into my books aswell. I'm not in a position to help you with tuition yet, but I can provide days of delightful distraction for the price of a cup of coffee, and kind reviews will get good karma sent your way.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This story is a very fast paced story and so suspenseful that it keeps you on the edge of your seat wondering what is going to happen next. The author's writing was so good I felt as if I were right in the story--I could visualize everything as it happened. This is a stand alone story but I am looking forward to more stories about the main characters in this story and hope the author will write more about them."
"The reader has to suspend a little credibility with the ending, but the storyline is tight enough to accept it."
"This is an absolutely wonderful book."
"I switched to audio about halfway through so that I could continue to enjoy the story while getting my chores done."
"*Kept your attention."
"I am churning through novels on my Kindle at a rate of 4 - 5 p/month and am so happy to have foun this new writer who kept me full engaged for the one-and-half days during which I couldn't stop reading the book "Betrayel"."
"Love the characters and the inventive story, couldn't put it down till I finished it."
"This book takes a rather on-the-nose look at government corruption, and you have to wonder if there's really any good guys left in government, apart from the complex and principled Carr and his savvy and ambitious sister, Cassandra. This is a book that deals with both sides of the engagement - not just the men who fight for the safety and freedom of America's citizens, but also the backroom deals and television journalism."
Best Science Fiction Adventure
Like most of humanity, Wade Watts escapes his grim surroundings by spending his waking hours jacked into the OASIS, a sprawling virtual utopia that lets you be anything you want to be, a place where you can live and play and fall in love on any of ten thousand planets. For somewhere inside this giant networked playground, OASIS creator James Halliday has hidden a series of fiendish puzzles that will yield massive fortune—and remarkable power—to whoever can unlock them. Like many of his contemporaries, Wade is as comfortable debating the finer points of John Hughes’s oeuvre, playing Pac-Man, or reciting Devo lyrics as he is scrounging power to run his OASIS rig. Along with millions of other world-wide citizens, Wade dreams of finding three keys left behind by James Halliday, the now-deceased creator of OASIS and the richest man to have ever lived. Stuffed to the gills with action, puzzles, nerdy romance, and 80s nostalgia, this high energy cyber-quest will make geeks everywhere feel like they were separated at birth from author Ernest Cline. And I mean head over heels in love--the way you fall for someone who is smart, feisty, and who can effortlessly finish your favorite movie lines, music lyrics, or literature quotes before they come out of your mouth. Ready Player One expertly mines a copious vein of 1980s pop culture, catapulting the reader on a light-speed adventure in an advanced but backward-looking future. Our unlikely hero is an overweight trailer park kid who goes by Wade Watts in real life, and “Parzival” to his best friends and mortal enemies--all of whom he interacts with virtually. Just like the Arthurian knight that is his namesake, young Wade is on a quest for an incredible treasure guarded by mythical creatures. The setup is particularly brilliant, because Ernie Cline seems to have a laser-beam knowledge of (and warm, fuzzy love for) every pop song, arcade game, and giant robot produced in the last thirty years. Seriously, this is a guy who owns and regularly drives a 1982 DeLorean that has been mocked up to look exactly like the time-traveling car in Back to the Future , complete with a glowing flux capacitor. Worse, these corporate baddies are posers with no love for the game – they have movie dialogue piped in via radio earpieces, use bots to cheat at arcade games like JOUST, and don’t hesitate to terrorize or murder people in the real world to achieve their aims inside the OASIS. Our good guy has to leave his X-Wing fighter aboard his private flotilla so that he can pilot an authentic Ultraman recreation. And how do you not grin when someone dons a pair of virtual Chuck Taylor All Stars that bestow the power of flight? Instead, Cline keeps the stakes high throughout, and the epic treasure hunt structure (complete with an evolving high-score list) keeps the action intense. The plot unfolds with constant acceleration, never slowing down or sagging in the middle, to create a thrilling ride with a fulfilling ending. In your debut novel Ready Player One you incorporate literally hundreds of pop culture references, many of them in ways that are integral to the book’s plot. Q) Like the book’s hero, you possess a horrifyingly deep knowledge of a terrifyingly broad swathe of culture, ranging from John Hughes movies to super-obscure Japanese animation to 8-bit videogames to science-fiction and fantasy literature to role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons. Then as an adult, I worked at a long series of low paying tech support jobs that allowed me to surf the Internet all day, and I spent a lot of my cubicle time looking up obscure pop culture minutiae from my childhood while I waited for people to reboot their PCs. When I get home that night, I accidentally invent a cheap abundant clean energy source that saves human civilization. Cline’s imaginative and rollicking coming-of-age geek saga has a smash-hit vibe.”-- Booklist , starred review. "This adrenaline shot of uncut geekdom, a quest through a virtual world, is loaded with enough 1980s nostalgia to please even the most devoted John Hughes fans… sweet, self-deprecating Wade, whose universe is an odd mix of the real past and the virtual present, is the perfect lovable/unlikely hero.”-- Publishers Weekly. "Fascinating and imaginative…It's non-stop action when gamers must navigate clever puzzles and outwit determined enemies in a virtual world in order to save a real one. " Ready Player One expertly mines a copious vein of 1980s pop culture, catapulting the reader on a light-speed adventure in an advanced but backward-looking future. "The pure, unfettered brainscream of a child of the 80s, like a dream my 13-year-old self would have had after bingeing on Pop Rocks and Coke…I couldn’t put it down. Ernest Cline's hero competes in a virtual world with life-and-death stakes -- which is only fitting, because he's fighting to make his dreams into reality.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"In between reading sessions, I found myself thinking about how much things would have changed in the few short years since the book was written (use of flash drives, for example)."
"The ONLY thing I didn't dig was the same old same old "we wrecked the planet and wasted all our resources bit"... That backdrop is SO overdone, and not remotely believable in our foreseeable future...."
"I decided to read it in preparation for the movie."
"Really enjoyed this book and I knew all of the 80’s references!"
"Such a fun story that incorporates great 80’s references, fantasy, science-fiction, dystopian futures and romance."
"Cline has imagined an interesting (albeit unfortunate) future world and created a story around several endearing characters."
"Overall, this was an entertaining book, and a good journey back to the heyday of coin operated arcade games of the 80s."
"Im an avid reader and it caught my attention and held it because its a different subject matter then the usual fodder."
Best Action & Adventure Short Stories
No Middle Name begins with “Too Much Time,” a brand-new work of short fiction that finds Reacher in a hollowed-out town in Maine, where he witnesses a random bag-snatching but sees much more than a simple crime. “Small Wars” takes readers back to 1989, when Reacher is an MP assigned to solve the brutal murder of a young officer found along an isolated forest road in Georgia—and whose killer may be hiding in plain sight. Rounding out the collection are “Guy Walks into a Bar,” “James Penney’s New Identity,” “Everyone Talks,” “The Picture of the Lonely Diner,” “Maybe They Have a Tradition,” and “No Room at the Motel.”. This volume demonstrates what his fans already know: he’s a born storyteller and an astute observer.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review) “Lee Child, like his creation, always knows exactly what he’s doing—and he does it well. This volume demonstrates what his fans already know: he’s a born storyteller and an astute observer.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review) “Lee Child, like his creation, always knows exactly what he’s doing—and he does it well. Time in his company is never wasted.” — Evening Standard Praise for Lee Child “There’s a reason [Lee] Child is considered the best of the best in the thriller genre.” —Associated Press. “The Reacher novels are easily the best thriller series going.” —NPR. This volume demonstrates what his fans already know: he’s a born storyteller and an astute observer.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review) “Lee Child, like his creation, always knows exactly what he’s doing—and he does it well. Time in his company is never wasted.” — Evening Standard Praise for Lee Child “There’s a reason [Lee] Child is considered the best of the best in the thriller genre.” —Associated Press.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I'd read these stories before with the exception of the first one, new, "Too Much Time". Jack Reacher sure wouldn't have taken that deal!"
"Gives some background of what made Jack into Jack Reacher."
"Sometimes it nice to start a story and complete it in one seating."
"Every Reacher story is a good one."
"The remaining stories combined are perhaps 25% of the collection."
"Quite simply put it's a great collection of material that all us Reacher or Lee Child fans have come to love & perhaps even crave."
"I can never get enough of the Teacher character."
"His character, Jack Reacher, has a real knack for sorting out problems."