Book Reviews by Ehlen Administration

Rebirth by Travis Starnes My rating: 4 of 5 stars John Taylor has just suffered through 3 years as a POW, and came home crushed to find the girl of his dreams now out of his reach. Wandering aimlessly, he comes upon a firefight, and his military instincts just kick in. Can he save the girl and survive the Russian mob? The first in a series starring washed up war hero John Taylor, Rebirth is an origin story fit for the character. It is written in a blunt, no nonsense style, and feels like a vet is talking you through his options as Taylor carefully but decisively considers his options. He has a honed sense of justice and take no prisoners attitude. This is a quick, easy read for those of us who appreciate character driven plot without too much frilly stuff on the side to distract. I have a feeling though, I will enjoy more of the series and discovering Taylor’s ability to outrun his demons. View all my reviews Please note, while there may be affiliate links or payment for r...

He Said, She Said: "Murder" by Jeramy Gates My rating: 3 of 5 stars Joe and and his very pregnant wife, Tanja, have a wealth of skills as they start their private detective business, but not exactly a lot of money. When their friend and local sheriff takes pity on them and throws them an unsolved cold case they go after it with gusto. What they find may blow them away, both literally and figuratively. Can they solve the mystery without becoming one themselves? He Said, She Said Murder is written in first person style from alternating viewpoints - him and her. I loved the style of that, especially viewing conflict from both perspectives. But the writing was a little clunky, a lot of repeated words, such as “unfortunately,” and some grammar/spelling errors - nothing a decent editor couldn’t fix quickly. I’m also kind of curious as to whether or not there will be a back story for Joe and Tanja written, as there is clearly some interesting history that brought them to the ...

Found, Near Water by Katherine Hayton My rating: 4 of 5 stars Christine leads a support group for women, like her, who have lost their children. Some are known deceased, others are unknown. Over time the support group dwindled to a few women who became fast friends as they bonded over their shared grief. But what will happen when Christine, a victim support advocate, has to be there for a new mother who has also lost her child, and a curious psychic tells her that the child is dead, and the body will be found, near water? Will Christine be able to support her and deal with her own past and present, and will the women she calls friends still be able to rely on their own stories to get them through the ensuing scandal? As a mother, one of the worst fears is that of your child being abducted, dieing of some horrible disease, or being killed in an accident. No parent should have to outlive their child, regardless of how old the parents or the child. I think that’s what made this boo...

Death and Disappearances by Richard Smiraldi My rating: 3 of 5 stars Montgomery Clark, a struggling author who is lucky enough to come from a family who can afford to support a starving artist, is frantically looking for his missing wife, Petula Beaujolais. She stormed out after a spat and hasn’t been seen since. On his way to find her we meet many characters, some from the present and some not so present. Will he find her and reunite or will the worst be discovered? Death and Disappearances reads like 1950’s film noire, with a bit of more modern sparkly vampire supernatural thrown in for good measure. The main characters, particularly the upper class socialite snobs, seem a little over the top to be believable, although terribly amusing. I have to admit the ending was a bit predictable, but I would have actually liked more monologuing by the eventual villain, particularly more about how/why Petula’s fate came to be. She reconciled the explanation a bit too quickly and cleanly w...

Heist School Freshmen by Alan Gallauresi My rating: 4 of 5 stars I have a teenage brother, and Heist School Freshmen sounds like it was written by him. This is a good thing, in this case, as the story is about teenage boys who band together, led by their intrepid leader Angelo Bastillo - who now goes by Angel because it just sounds way cooler - to attempt a treasure hunt of epic proportions in their very average high school. It also meant I understood a lot of the lingo and text speak, which is very encouraging for an otherwise uncool older sister like me. I really enjoyed the story, and I think the series has potential. The character development was detailed and largely accurate for modern teenagers. I am also a big fan of anything that gets boys to read, and I really think that this story would be great particularly for middle schoolers. It has suspense, teenage “romance,” a lot of comic interludes and even a little SAT prep thrown in, all narrated by Angelo. I would recommend...