Bookfetish.org

Bloodman: Robert Pobi

2012-05-16T02:43:56Z

Jake Cole returns to his childhood home of Montauk where his estranged father and great American painter Jacob Coleridge has fallen prey to the beginnings of Alzheimer's—evidenced by his father having set himself on fire, then crashing through a plate glass window.

Bestowed with the ability to reconstruct three-dimensional crime scenes in his head, Cole’s mind is full of dark and demented images from his job.

]]> Cole not only has an eidetic memory, but must also compartmentalize the horrors that play on an endless loop in his head in an effort to protect what is left of his sanity.

Upon entering his father’s house, Jake is unprepared for what he finds. There’s the proliferation of scotch bottles, carpets nailed to the floor in a crazy pattern, and years of neglect and filth. But, it’s the multiple images of a horrifying man without a face painted all over his father's studio that provides further proof of a mind losing its grip on reality.

Already dealing with his father's escalating condition and the impending arrival of his wife and son, Jake learns that a category-five hurricane is slated for a direct hit on Montauk in less than three days. Then comes the cherry on top: a phone call from the local PD regarding a brutal double murder just a few minutes away—a woman and her child have been skinned alive.

With a homicidal maniac on the loose and a killer storm on the way, only time will tell which one will do more damage.

Giving a slight nod to current television shows Unforgettable meets The Metalist Pobi creates his own brand of bogeyman. An incredibly intense and focused leading man, Special Agent Jake Cole deals in endless death and destruction.

Pobi writes with solid consistency as he weaves a tale of unthinkable—yet quite plausible—horror in the form of a psychotic madman who’s always one step ahead committing unfathomable atrocities that all seem to stem from the mere presence of Jake Cole and his return home.

Though there are moments of repetitive dwelling and restatement—as well as the recurring use of the word “flotsam”, Pobi does an excellent job of keeping the story moving forward, ratcheting up the intensity at just the perfect pace. The characters are well-developed, each one making an important contribution to the story, no matter how brief their time in the spotlight.

Proving he has the chops to make it in a genre where a combination of mystery, intrigue and perfect timing create the elixir that keeps the reader turning the page.

Robert Pobi's debut is a fantastic addition to the thriller arena.
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Paperback: 428 pages
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer (May 15, 2012)
ISBN-13: 978-1612182131

Running of the Bride: Rachel Eddey

2012-05-16T01:34:00Z

Getting engaged is one of the most special moments in a woman’s life. After years of envisioning how and where it would happen, the moment arrives. Overwhelmed by tears of joy as he places the ring on your finger, you fan your fingers and gaze down at the sparkly symbol of eternal happiness, contemplating a future filled with marital bliss.

Though the engagement part is wonderful, the best is yet to come: planning the fairytale wedding you’ve always dreamed of. This fun, yet stressful challenge requires perfect timing, plenty of patience and the ability to make lots and lots of decisions. There’s so much to accomplish and seemingly little time in which to do it.

]]> Then, to top it off, you must also figure out who will be invited to witness this spectacular event, while attempting to stay within budget, yet not upsetting that passel of second cousins who refuse to be ignored.

In Running of the Bride: My Frenzied Quest to Tie the Knot, Tear Up the Dance Floor, and Figure Out Why My 15 Minutes of Fame Included Commercial Breaks, Rachel Eddey humorously relates two of her life-long fantasies coming true—at the same time no less—being an extra on Sex and the City and having her long-time boyfriend John propose to her (on the set just prior to taping).

Stunned in disbelief, Rachel had barely fathomed sitting behind bad-girl rapper Lil Kim in their pseudo fashion show scene, but now she was an engaged woman.

Receiving rounds of applause and tears of joys from strangers, Rachel was thrilled to get a direct quote from Sara Jessica herself, and it wasn’t until Kim Catrall expressed her good wishes that Rachel realized she hadn’t even told her mother yet.

Rachel wasted no time in beginning her decent into the writhing pit of massive decision in regards to colors, theme, flowers and food; secure in the knowledge that she had plenty of time to create the perfect day. At least until her fiancé announced that the illustrious and incredibly sought after venue Stage 6 had a last minute cancellation, and that their big day would fill that void.

Now Rachel was going to have to pull together the happiest day of her life in a New York minute—or four months in normal time.

Up to the challenge, Rachel jumped in with both feet. From braving the annual wedding dress sale at Filene’s Basement to entering every wedding-related contest she could find. She even managed to tape two TLC reality shows along the way.

Written in a witty, often laugh-out-loud style, Rachel Eddey regales the reader with the unbelievable tale of the months leading up to the happiest day of her life, while trying to stay sane and on budget.

Rachel learned the lesson that many brides-to-be need to remember at all times during this crazy, wonderful time: in the end, you’re marrying the love of your life. A love that will outlast those horrible bridesmaid dresses, and that will forever be more important than that flavor of butter cream frosting you’ve been agonizing over for the past three days.
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Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: skirt! (May 15, 2012)
ISBN-13: 978-0762780068

Beautiful Disaster: Jamie McGuire

2012-04-27T15:17:00Z

For those who read my reviews, it’s between rare and never that I read romance, para-romance, or any other incarnations of said genres. It’s only due to the hype around 50 Shades of Grey that I have been tasked with finding something “similar” and have therefore been thrust (no pun intended) into the world of erotica and the aforementioned categories.

]]> It was during said research that I came upon a few web sites extolling the five-star virtues of Beautiful Disaster. A fairly straight forward story, BD is about two childhood friends, Abby and America, who go away to college, allowing Abby to escape her alcoholic mother and professional gambler father. America’s boyfriend has a bad-boy cousin/roommate, Travis, who is the heavyweight champion of an underground fight club and the uncontested sexual slayer of woman.

Tall, muscular, shaved, and tattooed, Travis is a living, breathing sex god, and there seems to be no limit to the fair maidens willing to sacrifice themselves at his alter. Totally unobtainable, these willing women have a better chance of domesticating a unicorn than getting Travis Maddox to settle down. Until he meets Abby.

Still a virgin at 19, Abby is doing her best to forget her unconventional past, and focusing on starting anew. But, old habits die hard, and Travis' M.O. is exactly what she's trying to avoid: gorgeous, confident, strong, with a penchant for living on the edge. When Travis sets his sights, and his heart, on Abby, she wonders if she’ll be strong enough to resist.

It wasn’t until after I finished reading did I learn that Beautiful Disaster is consistently being compared to Twilight, and thus luring unsuspecting girls and subjecting them to “inappropriate” material; i.e. Travis. McGuire is criticized for her portrayal of a guy, who is, agreeably, an over-the-top character with an anger issue and prone to settling disputes with his fists. But, let’s face it, those who experience his wrath, almost always ask for it...

Taken with a grain of salt, Travis’ tough demeanor is hyped up to add excitement to his bad boy image and intesify the contrast with his tender side. Despite his violent outbursts—usually limited to douchie men and seemingly innocent doors—he treats Abby with the utmost care and respect—even when he’s flying around in jealous rages.

It’s fairly safe to assume that the average reader (and Twilight fan) will realize that it’s a story. Fiction. The same way—hopefully—they understand that vampires don’t exist, and if they did, they wouldn’t twinkle in the sun or marry a clumsy simpleton.

Yes, it’s possible that Travis’ college-aged wild ways are a glimpse into the future. We can all see Abby and Travis 10 years from now living in a double-wide. He, wearing a stained wife beater, swigging a Budweiser, while she looks haggard and broken, holding a baby on each hip; but, what fun would it be to read about that? Reading is an escape, a form of entertainment, a glimpse into a life that probably wouldn’t exist under real-world conditions. Chances are Jamie McGuire would loath writing it as much as we would to read it.

Despite its plethora of distracting grammar and spelling errors, McGuire’s literary effort is commendable, enjoyable, and just a bit on the indulgent side (but in a good way). Any sour grapes are likely a case of “the lady doth protest too much” (you know who you are), making it a safe bet that the prudish complainers have probably fantasized about the Travis-type at one time or another.

It’s probably also fair to further assume that most (stable) modern women wouldn’t purposely subject themselves to an abusive or otherwise untoward relationship, or consider this book a relationship documentary.

So lighten up, let go, and enjoy the ride.
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Paperback: 362 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace (October 3, 2011)
ISBN-13: 978-1466401884

Blackbirds: Chuck Wendig

2012-04-26T21:17:00Z

For the past eight years Miriam Black has been able to determine how and when someone will die—down to the exact second—just by touching them. The visions only happen with skin to skin contact and she sees them only once. Though she has witnessed many future deaths of those around her, invariably, she cannot see her own.

Finally escaping her traumatic childhood, twenty-two-year-old Miriam drifts from place to place, targeting mostly men whose number will soon be up. Once her marks expire, she empties their wallet and moves on to the next town.

]]> Both a blessing and a curse, Miriam tries to use her powers for good. Attempting to be helpful, she sometimes tells people about their eventual finality, but more often than not, she is met with distrusting stares and violent reactions. On most occasions, she wonders if her mere presence is actually the cause of an otherwise arbitrary demise.

A dedicated loner, Miriam didn’t count on meeting two very different men: Ashley, who will attempt to plunge her deeper into the darkness, and Louis who just may save her life—although, as a result of her actions, she’ll have to save his first.

Author, screenwriter and writing advice guru Chuck Wendig creates a compelling tale with an even more compelling protagonist in Miriam Black; a tough, street wise survivor who finally escaped her troubled childhood only to find that she can’t escape herself. Despite her fairly macabre lifestyle, Miriam has a strength and sarcastic wit that makes her very likeable and strangely sympathetic.

In addition to a cast of well-developed, yet mentally unstable characters that enhance a fantastically horrifying plot, Blackbirds has a natural progression that doesn’t rely on convenience or contrived circumstances to move the story forward. Wendig’s distinctive, straight forward style is accessible and insistent; and, the generous helpings of violence are strangely invigorating.

Chuck Wendig has raised the bar of the urban fantasy genre and introduced a dynamic new character who, if left to her own devices, will most likely steal more than just your heart.
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Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Angry Robot (April 24, 2012)
ISBN-13: 978-0857662309

Lucky Bastard: S.G. Browne

2012-04-17T10:42:00Z

Nick Monday is not your average private investigator. Despite his father's observation that he has the "social ambition of a fart", Nick manages to pay the bills by selling luck. Luck he poaches from others.

Inheriting his gift from his mother—who chose not to use her ability and died a brutal death by a speeding bus—

]]> Nick at least knows he doesn't want to end up like her; but, he remains conflicted as to whether his ability to steal luck with just a handshake is a blessing or a curse.

Nick's San Francisco office stays afloat by selling luck on the black market to addicts. Living a fairly easy life under the radar, things begin to get complicated when the mayor's beautiful daughter offers him $100,000 to find her father's luck—luck that Nick stole. Then things go from complicated to potentially fatal when a Chinese mafia kingpin sets his sights on Nick and makes him an offer he'd better not refuse: get him some luck—or else.

Coming off his satirical incarnation-themed book Fated, S.G. Browne channels his inner Philip Marlowe to pen a noir-toned tale.

Browne has a pension for creating fun and interesting characters. Whereas in Fated luck was indeed an actual lady, Lucky Bastard transforms it into a commodity. Of course it’s Browne’s leading men who often steal the show, and Nick Monday doesn’t disappoint.

In a solid third effort, S.G. Browne continues his streak of entertaining and delighting readers with his humor-filled writing prowess and supernaturally-infused creative story-telling.
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Hardcover: 368 pages
Publisher: Gallery Books (April 17, 2012)
ISBN-13: 978-1451657197