South of Broad by Pat Conroy

South of Broad centers around Leo King, otherwise known as "Toad' by his friends and enemies alike. Part of the book is set when "Toad" is in his late teens, and he's had a rough life. A family tragedy has caused a huge rift in his family, and caused him to have a mental breakdown. The summer before his senior year of high school he makes an eccentric group of friends, and these friends will be close to him into adult hood. These friends bring their own sets of troubles and problems.

I was so excited to get my hands on an ARC of this book. I loved both The Prince of Tides and Beach Music; and was thrilled to see that Conroy had written another novel. Unfortunately, I found this book very disappointing. I'm not sure if it's just that my tastes have changed in the years since he's last published a novel, or if this book truly isn't that good. Don't get be wrong, I did love a few things about it. Some of the writing is beautiful, especially when he describes Charleston and South Carolina. Wonderful imagery of the ocean, tides, beaches. But the plot is so predictable and cliched. You can seen any "secrets" coming way before they are revealed, including the big secret at the end which was probably just about the biggest cliche in the whole book. Then there's the dialogue, which is melodramatic and "cutesy" to the point of being unbelievable (who talks that way in real life??). And the do-gooder main character, who is probably the most unrealistic teen age boy I've ever read about. Also, some of the characters are so stereotypical they are almost laughable: the flamboyant gay, the so-awful-and-insane-it's-cartoonish bad guy, and the token black couple with their "ghetto" speak. Plus, there were a few scenes that were so ridiculous they are laughable. For instance, a scene where adults in their 30s reinact a high school pep ralley, complete with cheers. Vomit inducing.

All in all, I'm glad I read the book since I'm sure many will love it and it will be greatly hyped. But, for those who fell in love with his earlier books, it may end being a disappointment like it was for me. My rating: 3/5

The Rapture by Liz Jensen

Art therapist Gabrielle Fox has just started a new job at a mental facility for extremely disturbed (and dangerous) teens. As if that weren't stressful enough, she's also recovering from an accident that left her physically disabled and emotionally scarred. Soon Gabrielle starts to hear strange predictions from one of her patients....predictions that turn out to be true.

Although this book was interesting, it didn't draw me in like I thought it would. The events that happen fall so easily into place that there isn't much tension, or excitement. I did think the writing style was good, and I really liked the main protaganist.

Forever Amber by Kathleen Winsor

Set in the mid to late 1600s, Forever Amber follows the ambitions of a young girl. Born in the countryside and raised by a yeoman farmer and his wife, Amber believes she is destined for better things. When a handsome Lord Carlton visits her small hamlet, she takes the oppurtunity to leave town with him. From there she becomes everything from a mistress to an actress to a countess, living a very full---but not very rewarding--life.

I loved this book. It's long, but so filled with an interesting plot and sub-plots that I had a hard time putting it down. Apparently it was banned in some places when it first came out in 1944; but by today's standards it's quite tame. You can't help but feel sorry for Amber at times; this book really hits home the point that everything that glitters isn't gold.

Fear the Worst by Linwood Barclay

Divorced car salesman Tim Blake is thrilled when his seventeen year old daughter Sydney moves in with him for the summer. Sydney has a seasonal job working at the front desk of a local motel, and seems to be the typical teen girl. The nightmare begins when Sydney suddenly disappears, and Tim starts to learn things about his daughter's life that don't make sense.

I thought this book was a quick and entertaining read, but it wasn't anything that knocked my socks off. The writing is pretty good, but the plot a bit predictable; and your typical mystery/thriller characters abound. It would make a good beach or vacation read; something that's fast to get through and doesn't require much exertion on the reader's part. There are a few really exciting scenes, and enough interesting things going on to keep you reading until the end.

Undiscovered Gyrl by Allison Burnett

Written in blog form, this book is about a lonely, self-destructive teenage girl. When the book (or blog;-) starts, the un-named protaganist is at a stand still in her life: no ambition for college, doesn't want to work, feels she's been left behind while most of her friends go on to college. As the story goes on, her life starts to spiral more and more out of control. All the while, she's blogging it all for her reader's to get the inside view.

I read this book straight through in one day. Once I started it, I couldn't put it down. I thought it was very well written, and the plot was like a train wreck: you know things will be bad, but you just can't look away. And, despite some despicable behavior by the main character, you can't help but root for her. It's a good reminder how someone's actions may show one thing, but inside they might be feeling very different.

Gifts of War by Mackenzie Ford

Set in the early days of WW I, the book starts off with a favor. It's the famous Christmas Truce of 1914, when soldiers on both sides put down their weapons for a temporary cease-fire. During this time, an English soldier (Hal) meets a German soldier (Wilhelm) and promises to deliver a photograph to Wilhelm's English girlfriend. Just one problem: Hal finds himself falling for the girlfriend himself, when he goes to fulfill his promise.

It states on the back blurb of the book that the author is a historian. I think that really comes through in this book, with all the interesting period details. Although I started off thinking the book was going to be just another love story, the book is really much more than that, and has several twists in it that took me by surprise. I enjoyed this book, and will be watching for more historical fiction by this author.

The Spiders of Allah by James Hider

Non-fiction, this book is written by an atheist journalist who spent many months in Iraq as well as Israel. In addition to his personal experiences in the war zones (everything from being in Fallujah during the US invasion to suicide bombers blowing people to bits), he also writes about his personal views towards violence based on religious beliefs. There is also a bit of history of the peoples of Iraq and Israel thrown in , as well.
I'm agnostic with strong leanings towards atheism, and was excited to get my hands on this book. It did not disappoint. Hider's cynical views towards the conflicts and religion were interesting, and at times funny in a horrific yet honest way. The history parts of the book are enough to give you a little background, but not enough to bog you down.