Review: Powers by John B. Olson

“Bury me standing.
I must be buried standing.”

Powers, the follow-up to John Olson’s Shade (“a must-read for those who enjoy Ted Dekker and Frank Peretti” —Publishers Weekly), introduces a sheltered Gypsy girl named Mariutza. Her grandfather utters a mysterious last request before dying in her arms after being shot by ten cloaked men.Those same men die before her eyes, but strange powers continue to pursue Mari through the swamps of southern Louisiana where she has always hidden from “the Badness.”The whole world seems to join in the chase—helicopters, soldiers, government agents, and the police are all trying to kill her. Mari’s only hope of survival is to find Jaazaniah the Prophet, the mythical hero of her grandfather’s bedtime stories. But she has never been outside the swamp or known other humans besides her grandfather and one teacher. How can this lone girl survive the bewildering world of men long enough to find a prophet who might not even exist?

I have really struggled with this review. I've started it over and over again and I'm not exactly sure why. The book was interesting but it was also confusing. The early chapters jumped into the action as Mari's grandfather died in her arms and she is forced to go on the run. She had been sheltered her whole life and never lived outside the swamps but now she must find Jaazaniah the Prophet. He is the hero of the bedtime stories that she listened to as a child. Jazz is a musician who plays his music wherever he can earn a paycheck. He has no idea that he in the mysterious prophet.

As more characters are introduced the chapters are told from their points of view. Again, there is plenty of action and suspense but it felt like the story splintered with each narrator and they weren't fully developed. It was an interesting plot but not very cohesive. I still had questions at the end but perhaps that was to allow for a sequel.

I also didn't realize this was Christian fiction which may have led to some of my confusion as well. I wasn't familiar with all of the references and bible passages although I thought they were incorporated into the story well and faith was one of the most important elements. Overall this was an intriguing story, it just wasn't for me.

Thank you to LibraryThing Early Reviewers who provided me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

www.BHPublishingGroup.com
www.PureEnjoyment.com

Publisher: B&H Publishing Group
Release date: 12/1/09
Pages: 400
Price/format: $14.99/paperback
Type: supernatural thriller/Christian fiction

So, I was just wondering…

I went to the library yesterday to return a book and I brought another one home. I didn’t need to get any more but I was proud of myself for only getting one! I can’t resist books. I have so many good ones to choose from it’s driving me crazy.

I have a hard time deciding what to read next. I’m usually itching to start my newest books because they are fresh on my mind but I also have many great ones waiting patiently on my shelves. Some of them are for reviews and some are my own. If they are for reviews I try to read them in the order they were received unless they are for a tour or contest. I do keep track in a notebook and on a calendar. My choices really just depend on what I’m in the mood for. If I’ve read a few murder mysteries it might be time for a comedy. If I’ve just finished part of a series I might jump right into the next one to stay with the story. I never know for sure until it’s in my hands.

So I was just wondering how do you decide what you’re going to be reading next? Do you fly by the seat of your pants like I often do or do you have a schedule? I hope you have a pile of great books waiting for you too. Good luck choosing the next one!

Contest reminder

My contest for the two Dan Simmons titles Black Hills and Drood ends tonight! I have five of each for a total of ten books. Go sign up now, details are HERE.

Teaser Tuesdays

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme hosted by Miz B of Should Be Reading and asks you to :

1. Grab your current read

2. Open to a random page
3 . Share 2 "teaser" sentences also citing the title of the book and the author and in that way people can have great recommendations if they like the "teaser".
4. Please avoid spoilers!
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

I hate to be where she is not, when she is not. And yet, I am always going and she cannot follow.

~page 10 of Prologue
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

Review: Septimus Heap: The Magikal Papers by Angie Sage

Enter the world of Septimus Heap with this collection of previously unpublished papers.

This rich compendium includes:

The private journals of Septimus, Jenna, and Marcia Overstrand.

The best—and worst—places to eat as described in The Egg-on-Toast Restaurant Guide. Sirius Weazal's Speedy Guides to the Palace, the Wizard Tower, and Wizard Way. Excerpts from the Pigeon Post Biography series and the Heaps of History series. Alther Mella's Guide to Being Dead: Ten Handy Rules for New Ghosts. Beautiful maps, quirky flyers, funny letters, and much more!

This is a companion book to the Septimus Heap series. Although I've only read the first title (so far!) of five in this series I really enjoyed the fairy tale quality of the story. It was filled with rich detail and whimsical drawings at the beginning of each chapter. So when I saw this book at the library I had to pick it up.

The main characters are the Heap family; Silas, Sarah and their seven sons who have lived in the Ramblings. This is the section of the enormous Castle filled with a variety of rooms to live in, schools, factories, shops a hospital and the Chapel. The young girl they were raising was the rightful heir and princess of the Palace which had become their new home.

The book is divided into four sections: Papers From The Castle, The Wizard Tower, The Palace and Around The Castle. Filled with beautiful paintings, drawings, diagrams and other important information, it's all helpful to the reader. The pages are made to look like different documents complete with wrinkles and waterstains. From an official Biography Series come brief backgrounds and portraits of the main characters. There is a restaurant guide (do NOT eat at The Meat Pie & Sausage Cart), a list if shops on Wizard's Way (my personal favorite is Wyvald's Witchy Bookshop) and so much more.

The best part is that it's all done with a sense of humor. This is such a delightful book I've read it twice - so far! If you enjoy the series this is sure to enhance the experience and it's fun for all ages.

septimusheap.com
harpercollinschildrens.com

Publisher: HarperCollins Publisher
Release date: 2009
Pages: 167
Price/format: $17.99/hardcover
Type: children, fantasy

Mailbox Monday

Mailbox Monday at The Printed Page is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week (checked out library books don’t count, eBooks & audio books do). Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

Something Like Fate
by Susan Colasanti

ARC from the publisher? (Viking)

Lani and Erin are bonded for life. One thing that connects them is their fascination of fate. Lani wonders how much of our lives has already been decided and how much we can actually influence. Since the Unknown can unexpectedly change our lives forever, how much can we really control?

From the minute Lani meets Jason, she can't deny the intense connection they share. It feels like she's known him forever. She's not sure if he feels it, too. But it doesn't matter. Because Jason is Erin's boyfriend. Lani is determined to ignore her feelings for Jason, no matter how powerful they are, rather than risk hurting her best friend.

What if the person who is your destiny is the one person you can't have?

Hell Hollow
by Ronald Kelly

ARC from LibraryThing Early Reviewer

From out of a shadowy backwoods hollow, echoes a dark threat from the past, nearly a century lost and forgotten. The rural town of Harmony, Tennessee possessed a disturbing secret; a secret so ancient that most of its residents were completely unaware of it. Even the last survivors of a vigilante raid long ago have filed the tragic events of that autumn night away, totally unaware of the evil that remains, dormant, but forever patient, among the tall pines and thick-leaved kudzu of a place known only as Hell Hollow. There it would have remained, unrevealed, if not for a handful of unknowing participants. Four kids, bored for excitement during one of the hottest summers on record. A killer on the run, dodging his latest atrocity. And a rape victim on a deadly mission – scarred in both body and mind. All have a hand in bringing forth an unspeakable evil from the dark woods of Hell Hollow. He is a skeletal figure in top hat and tails, brandishing a handful of magical cards and a patented elixir that was brewed in the very depths of Purgatory.

Spam a lot

I hope it doesn't inconvenience anyone who is entering my contests or who would like to make a comment but for now I am disabling anonymous posting. I have been receiving spam almost every day this week and while I appreciate the person who is Belarus and keeps posting the new website for kinky sex I really don't need it here. Thanks for thinking of me though.

Anyone may enter the giveaways so if you are unable to, you can contact me through email and we can take care of it that way. Thanks for understanding!