Reading for Me

Let’s just cut to the chase….The Last Child is the best book I have read in 2016 so far! It is a page turner that is well-written by a former defense attorney who resides in both North Carolina and Virginia. I definitely plan to check out his other novels because I enjoyed this one so much.

In The Last Child, we meet Johnny, a young boy who decides to find his twin sister who had been kidnapped a year ago. Armed with his bike and Indian relics, Johnny and his friend, Jack, monitor the movements of pedophiles throughout the county. Johnny doesn’t fully realize the danger he is in — but thankfully a local police officer, Hunt, has taken an interest in him.

Populated with wonderfully complex characters, The Last Child provides a compelling plot that readers will not be able to pull themselves away from. While entertaining, Hart’s novel will look at issues related to the definition of family, issues of faith, as well as the “nature vs. nurture” debate.

For more information about John Hart and his writing, visit http://www.johnhartfiction.com.

Book 7 of the year was definitely a lucky read for me! Magic Hour was one of the best contemporary novels I have read in a very long time. Kristen Hannah weaved together a powerful story filled with emotion, humor, and thought-provoking scenes. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to experience a great story that is written very well.

Magic Hour centers around the mysterious arrival of a young girl in a sleepy lumber community in Washington state. The girl — who we will call “Alice” — appears in a large tree in the city park after having attempted to steal food. She is dirty and is not accompanied by an adult. Actually, she is holding a wolf while perched in the treetop. Alice’s only method of communication is through a series of howls and growls.

The local police chief, Ellie, has no idea how to best help this child. She calls in her estranged sister, Julia, who is a world-renown psychiatrist specializing in children who have suffered trauma and abuse. Julia is facing her own troubles though; one of her patients went on a rampage at school, killing herself and several of her classmates. Julia’s reputation and career is ruined.

Magic Hour traces Julia’s treatment of Alice as well as Ellie’s search for the truth. With each twist, Hannah’s prose will grab your heart-strings as Julia and Ellie fall in love with this helpless child. You will laugh in the most unexpected places. I assure you, tears will fall as you learn of the suffering Alice has experienced and watch as events spiral beyond the control of Ellie, Julia, and Alice.

My only complaint about Magic Hour is that it ended far too soon. I have fallen in love with Alice and want to know the rest of her story. That’s a complaint I’m willing to deal with at the end of such a lovely book.

I just finished this novel last night and was so sad to see it end. Don’t Go was such a compelling story from a gifted writer that I have come to enjoy very much.

Dr. Mike Scanlon was serving as an Army doctor in Afghanistan when the unthinkable happened — his young wife was found dead in the kitchen floor of their home from self-inflicted wounds while her young daughter was on an outing with her aunt. While dealing with the tragedy, things go from bad to worse for Mike. His medical practice is failing. He must endure pressure from commanding officers who want to see him re-enlist. His young daughter does not recognize the father that left when she was an infant.

Filled with heartbreak, frustration, betrayal, and intense emotion, Don’t Go is a beautiful examination of the struggles faced by vets returning home. Mike’s war wounds — both the physical and mental ones — impact his ability to find work once he returns home. The strain placed on the family is central to the novel and will keep the reader turning the pages to discover how this nightmare is going to resolve.

If you haven’t already discovered Lisa Scottoline’s works, Don’t Go would be a great starting place. You definitely won’t be disappointed.