Posts Tagged ‘Editor Jeanette Morris’
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Divine Justice (A Guest Review)
Friday, June 4th, 2010
Well, my reading peeps, today marks the final guest post by Jeanette Morris in her series of man book reviews. Last month, she offered up her thoughts on Patrick Lee’s “The Breach.” In March, it was Michael Connelly’s “The Scarecrow.” Today, she wraps things up with “Divine Justice” by David Baldacci. And let me say THANKS, Jeanette, for delving us into the world of your husband’s reading material. It’s been fun. You’ve been brave. We’re the better for it… Right?
Divine Justice (2009) (# 4 in the Camel Club series) by David Baldacci – Ex Viet Nam sniper and former government assassin Oliver Stone (no, not the film director) commits a pair of “necessary” assassinations and goes into hiding in Divine, a coal-mining town in rural America. Not where he intended to run, but where he ended up after rescuing a kid getting mugged on the train to New Orleans. Stone soon discovers that something is awry in Divine—something equally as dangerous as he encountered in his previous life as a hired killer. It’s a “Fugitive” knock off in ways, as Stone is always just one step away from his nemesis, Macklin Hayes, who is obsessed with finding Stone and eliminating him. Also looking for Stone are his friends, members of the former “Camel Club,” who know that Hayes is on Stone’s trail and want to find him first. In the meantime, Stone is busy falling in love with the bus kid’s mother and digging into the mystery surrounding the string of murders in Divine. This plot is actually one that kept me turning pages. The characters are interesting and the dialogue realistic. Of the three man-thing books, I enjoyed this one (mostly) and could actually relate to the female characters, who were brainy and beautiful, but not quite the super-heroines of the other two stories. Baldacci is a good storyteller and I might find myself reading another of his books . . . the next time I’m sick in Las Vegas on a rainy afternoon.
All right, guys and gals. What are YOUR reading plans for this summer? And might they include Divine Justice?
This commercial parody from Baldacci’s website made me (Mary) laugh!
Here’s a brief explanation from it’s creator– nateonjesuslane (you tube): “ This is a parody of an ad that I saw for one of Mr. Baldacci’s books, not a parody of him or his writing. The ad said, ‘David Baldacci is a master of plot, character, and dialogue’ which seems like a selling point for a book, but really, when you think about it, that should be a prerequisite for any published author.”
Jeanette Morris is a freelance writer and editor who has helped over 30 clients achieve their publishing dreams. You can find her at any of these places: www.firstimpressionswriting.com www.worddivas.com www.ministryofwords.wordpress.com
Tags: book parody, Camel Club series, David Baldacci's books, Divine Justice book review, Editor Jeanette Morris
Posted in Book Reviews, Book Trailers | 8 Comments »
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The Breach (a guest review)
Friday, May 7th, 2010
So I’m wrapping up my week long love-fest of the DIVA group by posting a “man-book” review sent over from Jeanette Morris. You know Jeanette–my writer / editor / might-secretly-be-in-the-CIA-because-she-travels-to-exotic-locations friend whom I adore. This is numero dōs in the series of three. You’ll find the previous one here. And the third will appear next month. In the meantime . . .
The Breach (2009): In Patrick Lee’s debut sci-fi thriller, ex-con Travis Chase encounters a downed government aircraft in the Alaskan wilderness. The last thing he wants is involvement—but the dead passengers inside the plane and mysterious notes about a missing item effecting national security begins a story with a plot that ratchets up like levels in a complex video game. Turns out Travis has some excellent tracking and shooting skills (we find out why later in the story). He tracks down a group of terrorists who are torturing hostages from the plane and hiding the mysterious “orb.” Travis rescues the beautiful and intelligent woman hostage (natch). The last words of the other hostage, her father, send Paige and Travis into a dangerous and bizarre world of secrets, conspiracies, and objects from another time and place that appear in “The Breach” housed in a super-secret underground government facility. Don’t worry, it gets weirder. The ending is definitely out of this world. So out there, I wasn’t sure if I actually “got it.” Read it (if you dare), and let me know. I’ll even loan you my copy.
And Mary’s question for the audience? You get two actually: (1) Have you / would you read The Breach (I totally would)? (2) In spite of the fact that I know how much Jeanette abhors book trailers, I’ve posted the one to The Breach below (Jeanette, your review puts the trailer to shame, by the way). I have a theory. Mainly that book trailers are targeted at men (as is the book, The Breach). And maybe teens . . . What say you, my reading friendlies? Discuss.
Jeanette Morris is a freelance writer and editor who has helped over 30 clients achieve their publishing dreams. You can find her at any of these places: www.firstimpressionswriting.com www.worddivas.com www.ministryofwords.wordpress.com
Tags: book trailer, Editor Jeanette Morris, Patrick Lee's The Breach, sci-fi thrillers, Travis Chase
Posted in Book Reviews, Book Trailers | 8 Comments »
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Doin' the Man Thing (a guest review)
Friday, March 19th, 2010
This is the fabulous Jeanette Morris: busy editor, writer, and goddess of her kitchen (always a bonus find in a friend), and a partner-in-crime in our four-lady writing group (worddivas.com). Plus she’s a little weird (in the “she makes me laugh at unexpected times–like when I’m reading through her editorial notes on my novel” kind of way). I like her. And you shall too. This is Part Uno in her series of three reviews which I’ll post at random over the next few months. Enjoy
.A few weeks back my husband and I were vacationing in Las Vegas, and I found myself stuck indoors with nothing to read. Before the panic attack set in, I asked my DH if he had any books with him. He is also an avid reader, but not “my kind” of reader. Nevertheless, my desperation overcame my hesitation, and I began reading whatever one calls the opposite of “chick lit.” Guy stuff . . . you know . . . mass-market thrillers, crime fiction, etc. Ironically, my little dunk into the man thing became a channel crossing, and I read three of his generous (but odd) offerings. Knowing Mary would probably never include reviews of any such testosterone-laced novels on her blog, I offer the following for those of you who just might be interested in something other than Twi-fiction and literary classics.
The Scarecrow (2010) – (sequel to bestseller The Poet) by Michael Connelly is a pointed commentary on the demise of print journalism and a fast-paced thriller featuring L. A. Times crime reporter Jack McEvoy. When Jack is laid off with 14 days’ notice to tie up loose ends, he decides to go out with one last big byline. What starts as a story about the wrongful arrest of a young gang banger for murder of an exotic dancer (yes, a bit cliché) turns into a much bigger and far more complex mystery that takes McEvoy into Las Vegas high rises and to a high-tech data-hosting facility in Arizona. FBI agent Rachel Walling, a femme fatale with whom he worked on the serial killer case in 1996′s The Poet, joins the hunt for another serial killer who always seems to be one step ahead of the star-crossed duo. As the pair uncovers more about the killer and his unsettling predilections, they realize that they too are being hunted. Jack’s close encounters with death allow him to unravel the mystery but, unfortunately, lose the byline. He gets the girl instead–not a bad exit from reporting. Unfortunately, the plot becomes a bit predictable as it unfolds. Connelly switches voices between Jack and the killer, which in one sense ratchets up the tension, and in another sense reveals the inevitable outcome much too soon. And although I could appreciate the one strong female character, Connelly’s inability to communicate her feminine side is probably one of the reasons he’s on the list of crime-thriller authors to which men are drawn.
So, (Mary’s) question for the audience: Which is better–chick, chunk, Twi, or man thriller lit?
Jeanette Morris is a freelance writer and editor who has helped over 30 clients achieve their publishing dreams. You can find her at any of these places: www.firstimpressionswriting.com www.worddivas.com www.ministryofwords.wordpress.comAnnnnnnd here’s the book trailer for it (the end being the best part).
Tags: book review, Editor Jeanette Morris, guest review, Las Vegas story, Michael Connelly, The Scarecrow
Posted in Book Reviews, Book Trailers | 13 Comments »
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