Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult and Samantha Van Leer

Being a fellow writer/reader, I have always wondered what if the characters in a book/movie/video game really had their own thoughts and actions outside of their own story. What if they had dreams, passions, and hopes of their own? That is the exact question the authors (or authoresses, I like to say) pose in Between the Lines.

Oliver is a prince, but not in the courageous fighter of all evils kind of way. He is a bit timid, but still seems to have a heart of gold. When a strange man calls on his help to save his daughter, the prince reluctantly agrees. This comes after much thought and deliberation, of course. And so, like all heroes at some point in their stories, Oliver goes on a quest to save the day…with a tiny bit of regret at having agreed to it.

You would think this would be the end of the story, but it isn't. When this fairy tale story is closed to readers, the character of Oliver is a completely different person entirely. He wonders what is truly out there...what is truly outside of his own book. He sees Readers and hears what goes on in their lives, but he longs to experience that world for himself. Longs to see, touch, feel, hear something different. Something unexpected and new.

Suddenly, Oliver gets his wish. After so many years of calling out to Readers and never being heard, a girl named Delilah finally notices him. They are enamored (and in Delilah's case, a bit freaked out) with each other. With the fact that they can interact with each other.

Delilah and Oliver soon become very close, and put their heads together to figure out a way to get Oliver out of his story and into Delilah's own world. But there are so many obstacles in their way. Can they do it?

This book follows three different points of view. Well, two actually. Oliver's and Delilah's. The third installment is the story that Oliver was written into. I love that. I love that we readers get to hear the story which started the whole thing.

All in all, I found this a stunning read, very beautiful and enchanting. However, I do take into account that not all people may like this book. So...a little advice...before you judge this book by its cover or description, open it up and read a little. Who knows, you may love this more than you think.

I recommend this to all people out there who love imaginative stories. Stories that open your heart and beckon to you.

55 Word Wednesday - Week 62

Here is my inspiration:

 

 

Here is my story:

 

"And for my next trick..." Tibbles climbed onto the fence surrounding his owner's yard. "The tightrope!"
Soft circus music played in his furry head as he began to walk across.
He feigned a slip, imagining a hushed crowd.
Ta-da! With a slight hop and a celebratory flick of his tail, he reached the other side.

 

And here is the prize at stake for this week. Haha:

 

Cool, huh?

 

Take a chance and enter for yourself here:

http://www.lisamccourthollar.com/2013/06/55-word-challenge-week-sixty-two.html?showComment=1371688452020#c763782130622782602

 

GOOD LUCK!

The Devil's Necktie by John Lansing

 

It usually takes me until about halfway through a book for me to truly know what I think of it. However, in the case of The Devil's Necktie by John Lansing, it only took me the first chapter. This book was exquisitely written and very visually stimulating. It's characters were well fleshed out and the situation in the book was life-like. I felt as if it could have actually happened. Before I go on, let me give you a small snippet of what this book is about.

Jack Bertolino is the main character in The Devil's Necktie. He is a retired cop and lives alone in his loft in Marina del Rey. His life may not be perfect, but as stated in the first chapter of the book, 'he [is] at ease.' He can grill all he wants, drink as much wine as he wants, watch the planes come back to the LAX early in the evenings to his heart's content...he is very at ease.

However, that ease and contentment does not last for long.

Jack suddenly gets a call from an old informant named Mia. A woman he got to know when she was helping him years ago put away the head of a Colombian drug cell, Manuel Alvarez. Mia is beautiful, smart, and brings back a whole lot of memories and feelings Jack has not experienced in a long time. He is surprised to find that she is in the neighborhood and agrees to meet her at her current, and temporary, place of residence.

Upon seeing her for the first time in such a long time, Mia informs Jack that she is being hunted. Someone is out to get her, and she wants Jack to help her disappear. Jack instantly agrees, knowing that he would do anything to keep her safe. He gets a gut-feeling that he might have spoken too soon, and sadly, that feeling is correct.

Jack leaves Mia's side. He heads toward home, but something occurs that causes him to turn back just to check on her. Something is desperately wrong, and when he searches the house for her he finds her strung up and dead in the bathroom. The devil's necktie is her downfall.

Jack must fight throughout this entire novel against people who think he killed Mia and those that want him broken because of her death. He delves into his own past as a cop and revisits old enemies, trying to find out more about Mia's own past as he does so. Can he find her killer(s), or will he eventually give up and let them win?

As I said before, this book is an amazing read. It is wonderfully written, and I look forward to future works by this author. I reccommend this to anyone and everyone who loves thrillers and suspense for this is truly one of the best I have ever read.

 

Courtesy of ireadabookonce.com

55 Word Challenge: Week Sixty

Here is my inspiration for this week's challenge:

And here is my story:

 

The smell of the couple's boiling flesh made my mouth water. It was a rare delicacy to have white meat in our tribe but worth the wait when we finally did get it. One more stir of the pot. I raised the spoon to my lips and gently sipped the broth.
Mmmm...Delicious.

The Tomb of Hercules by Andy McDermott

The Tomb of Hercules by Andy McDermott is the second installment in the Nina Wilde/Eddie Chase novel series. In this particular book, we come across Nina and Eddie in their newfound relationship which seems to be hitting a bit of a rocky point. Nina has been promoted to a high-class position as part of the IHA. An organization put together to aid in the protection of sensitive subjects such as Atlantis which Nina, and many others, found the location to in the first book. Eddie is not very happy w...more   The Tomb of Hercules by Andy McDermott is the second installment in the Nina Wilde/Eddie Chase novel series. In this particular book, we come across Nina and Eddie in their newfound relationship which seems to be hitting a bit of a rocky point. Nina has been promoted to a high-class position as part of the IHA. An organization put together to aid in the protection of sensitive subjects such as Atlantis which Nina, and many others, found the location to in the first book. Eddie is not very happy with this promotion of hers. He thinks she is becoming to posh with the job. She is becoming one of the socialites. To make matters worse, it seems that with the job comes many unpleasant colleagues. One of those unpleasant colleagues being a wealthy Shanghai businessman armed with his beautiful wife, Lady Sophia. But...there is a twist. Lady Sophia...is Eddie's EX-WIFE! WHAT?! Mind-blowing news! Anyway, Eddie finds out from Sophia that all may not be as it seems with her new hubby. And she, herself, may be in danger. Nina, however, is more focused on her newest possible find than she is about the safety of Eddie's former flame. She believes that the tomb of Hercules, which is fabled as myth, is real. And she might just have the proof to find its exact location. This book is full of thrills, kills, mysteries, and treasure galore. Nina and Eddie must rekindle their fading love while trying not to get themselves killed by the enemy. The only thing I really did not like about this book, was that after everything it took them a couple of chapters to figure out the mystery behind the tomb's location. Most of the story was the good guys (Nina and Eddie) trying to keep the bad guys (almost everyone else) from gaining a hand in finding the tomb. It was mostly action, and barely any puzzle solving. However, I must admit that it was a very good installment in the series. It did not disappoint visually.

The Reason by William Sirls

I was actually going to write about the Tony Awards and the nominees on this post, but I have come across something that truly amazed me when I first saw it. So...I am going to talk about that instead.

 

In my eyes, the cover is the heart of any book. It is the first thing people see when they look at a book, and it is initially the cover that causes a potential reader to pick up said book and read it.

 

I am a stickler for a professional looking cover, so when I saw the cover of The Reason by William Sirls I was just blown away.

 

Take a look:

 

Beautifully striking, isn't it?

 

That's exactly what I thought.

 

I have seen many amazing covers in my lifetime as a reader, but this has to be one of the best.

 

Now that I have you hooked on the cover, here is the story behind it:

When facing the impossible, will you believe?

Storm clouds gather over a small Michigan town. As thunder shakes the sky, the lights inside St. Thomas Church flicker . . . and then go out.

All is black until a thick bolt of lightning slices the sky, striking the church’s large wooden cross—leaving it ablaze and splintered in two.

When the storm ends—the search for answers begins.

James Lindy, the church’s blind minister, wonders how his small congregation can repair the cross and keep their faith in the midst of adversity. And he hears the words “only believe.”

Macey Lewis, the town’s brilliant young oncologist, is drawn to Alex, a young boy who’s recently been diagnosed with an aggressive leukemia. She puts her hope in modern medicine—yet is challenged to “only believe.”

And Alex’s single mom, who has given everything she can to her boy, is pleading with God to know the reason this is happening . . . to save her son. But she only hears silence and wonders how she can possibly “only believe.”

For more information on the author William Sirls and to read an excerpt from The Reason, visit: http://www.williamsirls.com/

Happy Reading!