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Reviews by Nancy O. (Hobe Sound, FL)

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Losing My Cool: How a Father's Love and 15,000 Books Beat Hip-hop Culture
by Thomas Chatterton Williams
When you need a bit of inspiration... (4/14/2010)
Losing My Cool is one person's story about how he learned to "interpret and navigate the world around us." There's always more out there, if you want it, and more importantly, it's attainable, as Williams shows in his touching story. This is a valuable message for everyone. It's an engrossing story -- I couldn't put it down once I'd picked it up. Williams is a talented writer -- I hope we see more from him in the future. Losing My Cool is definitely a book I would recommend to others.
Heresy
by S.J. Parris
A new medieval detective in Tudor England (12/12/2009)
Heresy is a new book in the realm of Medieval whodunits, with something for every mystery reader: spies, cryptic texts and codes, grisly murders and even a little romance.

While at times it moves rather slowly, with a lot of historical detail & debate thrown in, at the last part of the book the action picks up, the story unravels and all is made known. Throughout, the author's writing is very good, although I think she spent more time on plot rather than on her characters.

My understanding is that this is the first of a planned series, and hopefully the author will flesh out the ongoing characters a bit more. However, I liked this book, both for plot and writing. I'd recommend it to people who like CJ Sansom's Tudor era-based books, and to those who like historical mysteries in general, and people interested in the history of religion in England and Europe during the Tudor period.
The Book of God and Physics: A Novel of the Voynich Mystery
by Enrique Joven
An intelligent read (6/2/2009)
While this book may not be a heart-pounding, mile-a-minute mystery/thriller, it still has a lot to offer. Do not expect a Da Vinci Code here, although I'm sure the comparisons will be made. This book is much better, and offers a bit more depth. Couched within the fictional story of two separate groups of people in a race to find the key to unlocking the Voynich Manuscript, there is a lot to offer those readers who enjoy history, or reading about esoteric knowledge (especially alchemy), and those who are interested in the topic of religion vs. science.

I really enjoyed this book; my major was history in college and so this was right up my alley. I also enjoy a unique mystery, and this one fit the bill completely. It requires a bit of patience because of the author's historical exposition - but it is well worth the time you put into it.
The Secret Keeper
by Paul Harris
A very good story overall (3/7/2009)
The basic story within the covers of The Secret Keeper is quite good, dealing with the aftermath and the effects of war in Sierra Leone. The civil war there and its casualties (in all senses of the word) make for interesting reading. The twist in the story was quite unexpected, and made for a bit of an "aha" at the end. However, the characters in this book seemed a bit flat, one-dimensional and were people I really cared nothing about.

The author is a journalist who spent a lot of time in Africa and actually covered the conflict there. He might consider writing a nonfictional account of his experiences -- they would probably come off as being more realistic.

I would probably only recommend it to people who want to know more about the politics and conflict in Sierra Leone. The story he's trying to tell is a good one and should be heard.
Murderers in Mausoleums: Riding the Back Roads of Empire Between Moscow and Beijing
by Jeffrey Tayler
Murderers in Mausoleums (9/12/2008)
Jeffrey Tayler has written a fine work of nonfiction that spells out the future of not only Eurasia, but of the west as well. In many ways, it's a bit frightening, and his book was written before the recent events in Russia that seem to make what he says very believable. His work should not be overlooked by people who are interested in the current goings on in the former USSR, and maybe it should be sent to a few of our politicians as well. He's a fine writer, reporting what he sees and hears and coming to some startling conclusions. I'd definitely recommend it.
Tethered: A Novel
by Amy Mackinnon
Tethered (8/11/2008)
While Mackinnon's book may be called a mystery , the real story here is Clara Marsh, the main character. She's flawed and damaged, making her that much more real, so that the reader takes to her right away. Mackinnon does such a beautiful job with Clara's character that the reader can identify with her at every juncture. The other characters are also very well drawn and the prose just sings. The tone is dark and gloomy most of the time, adding to the suspense which keeps the reader turning pages.

Tethered would be a good book for a book group, and I'd also recommend it for people who read mystery novels or who just want something new and different. Overall -- good book.
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