If you’ve been following me for a while, you know I don’t do “romantic” Valentine’s Day themes. I’ve done friendship, friends before romance, and ace/aromantic books. Today, I thought I would work on a list of books that are appropriate for Teen Dating Awareness Month.
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I am currently reading Kingdom of the Blind, by Louise Penny, the new Chief Inspector Gamache book. The Gamache series is set in Quebec, Canada, and is a great mystery series with lots of description, ongoing relationships, and twists and turns as the mystery is developed.
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This week I am reading The Family Upstairs, a domestic thriller by Lisa Jewell. There are plenty of twists and turns and misdirection. Several people return to the house they lived in as children, before their escape following the deaths of the adults in the home. All but one know what happened. One needs to find out.
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One of the themes in my recently-released Night of Nine Tails is anxiety. Reg has a sense of dread and she doesn’t know where it is coming from. She doesn’t know if she is in danger, if something is going to happen, or if she’s just anxious for no reason. The story explores themes of what feels dangerous and what feels safe, and whether those feelings are justified.
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I just finished re-reading A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L’Engle. Chances are, you’ve either read this book or seen the movie, or both. It has been popular since it was published in 1962, although it has also been one of the most commonly banned books.
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I am re-reading 61 Hours by Lee Child, book 14 in the Jack Reacher series. Like the other Jack Reacher books, it is a well-written suspense book with lots of twists and turns to keep you on your toes. Jack Reacher always stumbles into the strangest circumstances, and 61 Hours is no exception. He also doesn’t appreciate the cold of South Dakota winters, and after the weather in Calgary the past week, I can sympathize. It’s also one of the few books I’ve ever read that mentions Chinooks.
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I am currently reading The Long Road to Mercy by David Baldacci. Baldacci always writes great police procedurals and thrillers, and so far, The Long Road to Mercy does not disappoint. Atlee Pine, an identical twin who lost her sister in an abduction as a small girl, grows up to become a body builder and FBI agent and in this first book in the series, is investigating the disappearance of a tourist from the Grand Canyon. Of course, he was not actually a tourist, and pursuing the investigation after she’s been told to back off could mean the end of her career.
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Did you know that January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Awareness Month, and January 11 is Human Trafficking Awareness Day?
Human Trafficking is a huge industry, in both North America and around the world. With an estimated 40 million victims and generating $150 billion annually, it is not limited to third world countries, and affects people in all classes and industries. Children are particularly vulnerable, especially runaways and those in foster care.
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I just finished reading domestic thriller Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell. It is a slow build, not an edge-of-your-seat rollercoaster ride. The character development is good and the players relatable. You have a pretty good idea of the twists it will take before they come, but that doesn’t reduce the enjoyment in watching it unfold. An enjoyable read!
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I just finished Ready Player One, by Ernest Cline. I had certainly heard about it before, but I hadn’t read the book or seen the movie. If you are looking for a book with lots of 80s pop culture nostalgia, this is the one to read! While set in 2045, the protagonist and his competitors must learn everything they can about 1980s technology, music, movies, etc. in order to solve the clues that Halliday has left behind. I don’t read a lot of sci fi/futurist fiction, but this one was full of references to the TRS-80 Color Computer 2 (saving programs to cassette tapes), War Games, and so much more.
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