Novels Now

A Family Affair by Caro Peacock
Liberty Lane Mysteries, #3
Pages: 440 pages
First Published: 2009 UK (Jun, 22, 2010 US)
Publisher: Avon A
Rating: 4/5
First sentence:
London, June 1839
At one end of the lists the Knight of the Green Tree was fighting to control his horse, a raw-boned chestnut hunter of sixteen hands or so, over bitted- [...]

Death on the River by John Wilson

Pages: 193
Ages: 15+
First Published: Oct.1, 2009
Publisher: Orca Books
Rating: 4/5
First sentence:
I pull back the thin blanket and swing my legs over the edge of the bed.
Acquired: Received a review copy through LibraryThing’s Early Review Program.
Reason for Reading: John Wilson is a Canadian author whom I have read a few [...]

Trackers by Patrick Carman
Trackers, Book 1
Pages: 224
Ages: 10+
First Published: May 11, 2010
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Rating: 4/5
First sentence:
How far back can you go Adam?
Acquired: Received a review copy from Scholastic Canada.
Reason for Reading: I became a huge fan of Carman’s after reading the Atherton series and was excited to read another book by him.
A book [...]

Revolver by Matt Kindt

Pages: 192
Ages: 18+
First Published: Jul. 20, 2010
Publisher: Vertigo
Rating: 4/5
First sentence:
I do the same thing every morning.
Acquired: Received a Review Copy from the publisher.
Reason for Reading: Pure Plot. I love post-apocalyptic stories.
This is a dark, oppressive story from every angle and will not be for everyone. The art is [...]

The Secret Fiend by Shane Peacock
The Boy Sherlock Holmes, His 4th Case
Pages: 244
Ages: 12+
First Published: May 11, 2010
Publisher: Tundra Books
Rating: 5/5
First sentence:
There have been many late knocks on the old apothecary’s door.
Acquired: Received a review copy through LibraryThing’s Early Review Program.
Reason for Reading: Next in the Series.
Shane Peacock has made it to the 4th [...]

Fever Crumb by Philip Reeve
Fever Crumb, Book 1
Pages: 385 pages
Ages: 12+
First Published: 2009 UK (Apr. 1 2010 US)
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Rating: 3/5
First sentence:
That morning they were making paper boys.
Acquired: Received a review copy from Scholastic Canada.
Reason for Reading: The plot was intriguing and this is my type of book.
A foundling baby girl found by the [...]

Neil Young’s Greendale by Joshua Dysart. illustrated by Cliff Chiang. foreward by Neil Young
Pages: 160
Ages: 18+
First Published: June 15, 2010
Publisher: Vertigo
Rating: 3/5
First sentence:
On a warm spring day way back in 1985, two precious children were born to Edith O’Reilly and Earl Green.
Acquired: Borrowed a copy from my local library.
Reason for Reading: Long-winded reason follows. [...]

Live to Tell by Lisa Gardner
Detective D.D. Warren, book 4
Pages: 385 pages
First Published: June 13, 2010
Publisher: Bantam Books
Rating: 4.5/5
First sentence:
I don’t remember than night much anymore.
Acquired: Received a review copy from Random House Canada.
Reason for Reading: I’m a fan of the author and had read the previous book in the series.
This book had me [...]

Ice Cold by Tess Gerritsen
Rizzoli & Isles, book 8
Pages: 322
First Published: June 29, 2010
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Rating: 5/5
First sentence:
She was the chosen one.
Acquired: Received a review copy from Random House Canada.
Reason for Reading: Next in the series.
Tess Gerritsen consistently writes a series that aims to please her fans. Ice Cold is no exception. [...]

Terry Fox: A Story of Hope by Maxine Trottier
Marathon of Hope 30th Anniversary edition
Pages: 35
Ages: 8+
First Published: July 1, 2010
Publisher: Scholastic Canada
Rating: 5/5
First sentence:
Hope is a quiet thing.
Acquired: Received a review copy from the publisher.
Reason for Reading: It’s been a long time since I read anything about Terry Fox and with the 30th [...]

Whiter Than Snow by Sandra Dallas

Pages: 292
First Published: Apr. 30, 2010
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Rating: 4/5
First sentence:
No one knew what triggered the Swandyke avalanche that began at exactly 4:10 P.M. on April 20, 1920.
Acquired: Received a review copy from the author’s internet publicist.
Reason for Reading: I’ve always wanted to read a Sandra Dallas book and the [...]

Confessions of a Prairie Bitch: How I survived Nellie Oleson and Learned to Love Being Hated by Alison Arngrim
Pages: 300 pages
First Published: June 15, 2010
Publisher: IT Books
Rating: 5/5
First sentence:
I always envy people whose detailed memories extend back to the womb.
Acquired: Received a review copy from Harper Collins Canada.
Reason for Reading: I’m a big fan [...]

Wolven by Di Toft
Wolven series, book 1
Pages: 322
Ages: 8+
First Published: Jun 1, 2010 (Aug. 2009 UK)
Publisher: Chicken House
Rating: 4/5
First sentence:
In Nat Carver’s opinion, the strange animal being paraded before him looked as though it owed its origins more to Dr. Frankenstein than Mr. Darwin.
Acquired: Received a review copy from Scholastic Canada.
Reason for [...]

The Water Seeker by Kimberly Willis Holt
Pages: 309
Ages: 13+
First Published: May 11, 2010
Publisher: Henry Holt
Rating: 5/5
First sentence:
Jake was known as the dowser.
Acquired: Received a review copy from Macmillan.
Reason for Reading: I love frontier life western historical fiction and the dowsing aspect caught my eye.
It seems strange to call a book with just over 300 [...]

Salem Brownstone: All Along the Watchtowers by John Harris Dunning. Art by Nikhil Singh
Pages: 96 pages
Ages: 15+
First Published: July 13, 2010 US ( Oct. 2009 UK)
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Rating: 4/5
First sentence:
There are those who love the rum and unusual, the uncanny, the macabre.
Acquired: Received a review copy from the publisher.
Reason for Reading: I was immediately taken [...]

Countdown by Deborah Wiles
The Sixties Trilogy, Book One
Pages: 388 pages
Ages: 11+
First Published: May 1, 2010
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Rating: 5/5
First sentence:
I am eleven years old, and I am invisible.
Acquired: Received a review copy from Scholastic Canada.
Reason for Reading: I enjoy historical fiction but the amount of photographs and media images in the book was [...]

Manifest by Artist Arthur
Mystyx series, book 1
Pages: 248
Ages: 13+
First Published: Aug 1, 2010
Publisher: Kimani Tru
Rating: 3.5/5
First sentence:
“I can’t hear you. I can’t hear you,” I repeat, talking to myself.
Acquired: Received a review copy from the book’s publicist.
Reason for Reading: The sounds of a Paranormal YA Ghost Whisperer with an added twist plot was [...]

Celtic Treasure: Unearthing the Riches of Celtic Spirituality by Liz Babbs
Pages: 80 pages
First Published: Sept 1, 2009
Publisher: Lion Hudson
Rating: 4/5
First sentence:
I keep a box of ‘treasures’ in my attic.
Reason for Reading: I am Catholic and am interested in the early Church, especially the Saints.
Well, honestly, I didn’t know what to expect from this book. [...]

Dark Life by Kat Falls

Pages: 297
Ages: 11+
First Published: May 1, 2010
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Rating: 4/5
First sentence:

I peered into the deep-sea canyon,hoping to spot a toppled skyscraper. Maybe even the Statue of Liberty.
Acquired: Received a review copy from Scholastic Canada.
Reason for Reading: I’ve read a couple of other books about permanent settlements on the [...]

My Name is Mary Sutter by Robin Oliveira
Pages: 364 pages
First Published: May 13, 2010
Publisher: Viking
Rating: 5/5
First sentence:
“Are you Mary Sutter?” Hours had passed since James Blevens had called for the midwife.
Reason for Reading: I’m very interested in this time period especially involving stories of women. The doctor angle grabbed me right [...]