The second book in The Passage series starts out back in year Zero. The reader is introduced to several new characters: Bernard Kittridge "Last Stand in Denver," Dr. Lila Kyle, Danny Chayes, Tim and April Donadio, and Horance Guilder. Dr. Kyle and Lawrence Grey (of the first novel) meet and try to escape the virals together while Kittridge, Chayes, and both Donadios meet and end up under the care of the Army, trying to evacuate out of the viral areas.
Flash forward to present time where Peter and Alicia Donadio (yup, the great-great-great-however many greats later-granddaughter of April Donadio) are both members of the Second Expeditionary. Amy has joined a convent and helps to look over Caleb, son of Theo and Maus, who both died at Kerrville. Caleb was saved by Hollis, who lost his wife Sarah in the massacre.
The group is still trying to find and kill the remaining eleven original virals, Alicia on her own, Peter and Michael teamed up together, and Amy and Greer together. They all separately find out about a city in Iowa and manage to meet up outside the city, which is being run as a concentration camp to keep people docile and from uprising.
There is another epic battle and a huge twist at the end.
I enjoyed The Twelve, but not as much as The Passage. But I think a lot of that is because I didn't care for one of the twists at the end, made me very sad actually. I'm anxious to read the last book in the trilogy, set to be released in 2016 (!!). It will be interesting to see how it all ends.
Friday, October 26, 2012
Saturday, August 4, 2012
Harvest by Tess Gerritson
Dr. Abby Matteo has it all. She's in her 2nd year of residency to become a surgeon, she's dating a handsome, older, successful doctor, and she's just been recruited by and elite Boston cardiac team. Her whole world changes, however, when she makes a life-altering decision to give a heart to a teenager instead of the wealthy middle-aged woman it was slated to go to.
Within a few days, another heart is found for the woman, but no-one knows where it came from. Abby defies the hospital's orders and starts to investigate. And the truth is much worse than she ever could have thought.
I loved this book! I'm already a fan of Tess Gerritson's, I've read the Rizzoli and Isles books and The Bone Garden (another book I highly recommend). It horrifies me that this book is based on reality, there are some sick people out there. I can't imagine the desperation a person, and their family, could/does feel while waiting patiently for a life-saving organ transplant.
I will say I predicted the final betrayal at the end, but that didn't make it any less painful to read.
This is a must-read for anyone who enjoys suspense, horror, mystery, and just an overall well-written book.
Within a few days, another heart is found for the woman, but no-one knows where it came from. Abby defies the hospital's orders and starts to investigate. And the truth is much worse than she ever could have thought.
I loved this book! I'm already a fan of Tess Gerritson's, I've read the Rizzoli and Isles books and The Bone Garden (another book I highly recommend). It horrifies me that this book is based on reality, there are some sick people out there. I can't imagine the desperation a person, and their family, could/does feel while waiting patiently for a life-saving organ transplant.
I will say I predicted the final betrayal at the end, but that didn't make it any less painful to read.
This is a must-read for anyone who enjoys suspense, horror, mystery, and just an overall well-written book.
Thursday, July 26, 2012
The Passage by Justin Cronin
In the near future, a virus in South America is brought to Colorado by the U.S. Army with hopes to make an invincible army. To perfect the virus, they've decided to inject different versions into 12 death-row inmates. Brad Wolgast and his partner are charged with getting the inmates to agree to the deal in return for their being taken off death row. Of course, what happens to them is far worse.
After recruiting the 12th inmate, Carter, Wolgast is given a surprise assignment, capturing a 6-year-old named Amy for the experiment. After capturing Amy, Wolgast falls in love with her and tries to avoid taking her to Colorado, but his efforts are defeated by his partner.
Needless to say, things in Colorado go horribly wrong. After the 12 break free, Wolgast and Amy are able to escape, although not before Amy's been given the virus.
Amy and Wolgast retreat to a mountain cabin he used to visit as a boy. They live very happily there for a few months until a nuclear bomb is set off nearby...
Fast forward 93 years into the future. As the U.S. was collapsing, they gathered all kids between 4 and 16 and sent them to fortified camps in hopes to start new societies. First Colony is located in California, a small community with large concrete walls and lights that stay on all night to ward off the virals.
Peter and Theo Jaxon, Alicia Donadio, and several others go out to check on the turbines that supply First Colony's power. On the way back, they are pursued by virals and take refuge in a mall, where Theo is taken by the virals, but Peter is saved by a mysterious girl roughly 15 years old.
The mysterious girl shows up at First Colony a few days later and Alicia (Lish) and another colony member Caleb (Hightop) risk their lives and the fury of the other colony members to save her. After a chip is discovered in her neck that was implanted 93 years ago and is repeating the message "if you find her, bring her here," a group decides to leave the colony to take Amy to Colorado...
Holy wowzas! First, this is actually the second time I read the book. I read it last summer and fell in love. This is the first in a trilogy and the next one comes out in October, so I was rereading to brush up on what happened. The book was really good the first time and even better the second time. It's a story of hope and love and endurance. It's also incredibly sad in parts, I forgot how sad it really is. But I love it. This is one of those books I will read over and over and over and...you get it. At roughly 800 pages, it's not a short book, but not the longest either. My only complaint is that my copy is kindle, which I read on my phone, so it's hard (impossible, really) to flip back and forth when I need to go back and reference something. There are A LOT of characters introduced who reappear later. But, all that means is that I'm going to have to go buy it in paperback!
Seriously, read this book. Yes, I know there have been a billion (or so it seems) vampire books lately. But no two are the same, and this is definitely not a book that paints vampires in a positive, dreamy light. It actually reminds me of one of my new favorite TV series, The Walking Dead. Again, can't recommend it enough. The second book, The Twelve, comes out October 16, 2012 (not that I have it written on my calendar or anything) and the third is set to come out in 2014.
If you have read The Passage, or if I've inspired you to read it now, leave me a comment on your thoughts on the book. Hope you love it as much as I do!
After recruiting the 12th inmate, Carter, Wolgast is given a surprise assignment, capturing a 6-year-old named Amy for the experiment. After capturing Amy, Wolgast falls in love with her and tries to avoid taking her to Colorado, but his efforts are defeated by his partner.
Needless to say, things in Colorado go horribly wrong. After the 12 break free, Wolgast and Amy are able to escape, although not before Amy's been given the virus.
Amy and Wolgast retreat to a mountain cabin he used to visit as a boy. They live very happily there for a few months until a nuclear bomb is set off nearby...
Fast forward 93 years into the future. As the U.S. was collapsing, they gathered all kids between 4 and 16 and sent them to fortified camps in hopes to start new societies. First Colony is located in California, a small community with large concrete walls and lights that stay on all night to ward off the virals.
Peter and Theo Jaxon, Alicia Donadio, and several others go out to check on the turbines that supply First Colony's power. On the way back, they are pursued by virals and take refuge in a mall, where Theo is taken by the virals, but Peter is saved by a mysterious girl roughly 15 years old.
The mysterious girl shows up at First Colony a few days later and Alicia (Lish) and another colony member Caleb (Hightop) risk their lives and the fury of the other colony members to save her. After a chip is discovered in her neck that was implanted 93 years ago and is repeating the message "if you find her, bring her here," a group decides to leave the colony to take Amy to Colorado...
Holy wowzas! First, this is actually the second time I read the book. I read it last summer and fell in love. This is the first in a trilogy and the next one comes out in October, so I was rereading to brush up on what happened. The book was really good the first time and even better the second time. It's a story of hope and love and endurance. It's also incredibly sad in parts, I forgot how sad it really is. But I love it. This is one of those books I will read over and over and over and...you get it. At roughly 800 pages, it's not a short book, but not the longest either. My only complaint is that my copy is kindle, which I read on my phone, so it's hard (impossible, really) to flip back and forth when I need to go back and reference something. There are A LOT of characters introduced who reappear later. But, all that means is that I'm going to have to go buy it in paperback!
Seriously, read this book. Yes, I know there have been a billion (or so it seems) vampire books lately. But no two are the same, and this is definitely not a book that paints vampires in a positive, dreamy light. It actually reminds me of one of my new favorite TV series, The Walking Dead. Again, can't recommend it enough. The second book, The Twelve, comes out October 16, 2012 (not that I have it written on my calendar or anything) and the third is set to come out in 2014.
If you have read The Passage, or if I've inspired you to read it now, leave me a comment on your thoughts on the book. Hope you love it as much as I do!
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
In Secret Service
by Mitch Silver
Art scholar Amy Greenberg is summoned to Ireland to empty a safe deposit box belonging to her late Grandfather. Inside, she discovers a manuscript written by Ian Fleming of 007 fame. Intrigued, she hurries back to her hotel to get some reading done before her flight back to the states.
Amy's amazed to find out Fleming actually wrote this document specifically to her. He calls on her to expose a shocking secret he discovered during his spying in WWII. But there are people determined to keep the secret hidden, and people who are just as determined to expose it and ruin the British Royal family.
I greatly enjoyed Silver's writing style. I'm a big fan of historical fiction and think he did a good job weaving the two together.
But I didn't find the secret to be explosive. At all. I get why it was hidden during the war, but there's no reason so many years later for lives to be lost for it. In my opinion, anyway.
I will say, though, that the secret not living up to the hype didn't ruin the book for me. It was still a good read, light read. Perfect for a rainy day with a cup of tea (or wine, of course).
Art scholar Amy Greenberg is summoned to Ireland to empty a safe deposit box belonging to her late Grandfather. Inside, she discovers a manuscript written by Ian Fleming of 007 fame. Intrigued, she hurries back to her hotel to get some reading done before her flight back to the states.
Amy's amazed to find out Fleming actually wrote this document specifically to her. He calls on her to expose a shocking secret he discovered during his spying in WWII. But there are people determined to keep the secret hidden, and people who are just as determined to expose it and ruin the British Royal family.
I greatly enjoyed Silver's writing style. I'm a big fan of historical fiction and think he did a good job weaving the two together.
But I didn't find the secret to be explosive. At all. I get why it was hidden during the war, but there's no reason so many years later for lives to be lost for it. In my opinion, anyway.
I will say, though, that the secret not living up to the hype didn't ruin the book for me. It was still a good read, light read. Perfect for a rainy day with a cup of tea (or wine, of course).
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
The split
Ha! Not the name of the book :). I'm challenging myself to write more and decided it would be cleaner to separate my blogging about life frm my blogging about books. I've got a list of books I want to/need to review, so get ready!
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