Teaser Tuesdays- The Devil’s Star

Monday 21 February, 2011 by 92 Comments

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
  • Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

    “The lone wolf, the drunk, the department’s enfant terrible and, apart from Tom Waaler, the best detective on the sixth floor.  But for that and the fact that Bjarne Møller had over the years developed a sort of perverse penchant for putting his head on the block for this policeman with the serious drinking problem, Harry Hole would have been out years ago.”

    Page 13-14, The Devil’s Star by Jo Nesbø

    My review may be read here.

    What are you reading?

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Book Review: 13, rue Thérèse by Elena Mauli Shapiro

Monday 21 February, 2011 by 30 Comments


Title: 13, rue Thérèse
Author: Elena Mauli Shapiro
Publisher: Reagan Arthur Books
Publication Date: February 2, 2011
Hardcover: 288 pages
ISBN: 9978-0316083287
Genre: Historical Fiction

From the Publisher:

American academic Trevor Stratton discovers a box full of artifacts from World War I as he settles into his new office in Paris. The pictures, letters, and objects in the box relate to the life of Louise Brunet, a feisty, charming Frenchwoman who lived through both World Wars.

As Trevor examines and documents the relics the box offers up, he begins to imagine the story of Louise Brunet’s life: her love for a cousin who died in the war, her marriage to a man who works for her father, and her attraction to a neighbor in her building at 13 rue Thérèse. The more time he spends with the objects though, the truer his imaginings of Louise’s life become, and the more he notices another alluring Frenchwoman: Josianne, his clerk, who planted the box in his office in the first place, and with whom he finds he is falling in love.

My Review:

13, rue Thérèse by Elena Mauli Shapiro is a beautiful book, but when coupled with the knowledge the author provides at the end of the book about her inspiration for writing her story, the impact is brilliant.  The title is where author Elena Mauli Shapiro lived in Paris and the box is quite real, however the story is a work of pure fiction based on the author’s interpretation of the objects contained within the box.  13, rue Thérèse is a tender, beautifully woven story of love and intrigue and of American professor Trevor Stratton in Paris who comes across a mysterious box hidden by Josianne for him to discover.   The reader soon learns the box at one time belonged to Louise Brunet, an extraordinary woman who survived both World Wars, loved and lost and a woman who kept a few treasures within this rather ordinary box.  Soon Stratton becomes enamored with the life he believes Louise Brunet lived and begins to tell Louise’s story as he sees it.   13, rue Thérèse is filled with photographs of the box and the contents of this mysterious box further adding to the air of mystery and intrigue with a hint of the exotic.  By the end of the book I found myself wishing I had known Louise Brunet for she lived through so very much and I also found myself pondering what impact my life would have if all that remained were some precious mementos in a box.  I fear it would prove rather dull in comparison to Brunet’s life, but would she have said the same, it is impossible to know but raises an intriguing question, what legacy do we leave behind when everything else is gone?   On the surface I thought 13, rue Thérèse would be a sweet book, one I would enjoy reading and then move on, I did not imagine the impact such a compact and seemingly innocuous looking book could have on my life.  13, rue Thérèse is a book that will stay with me for an exceedingly long time and I hope each reader has the same reaction.  I recommend 13, rue Thérèse to all readers and strongly encourage discussion groups to read this book; the depths beg to be discussed.

About the Author:

Elena Mauli Shapiro grew up in Paris, and currently lives in California with her husband. She has accumulated literature and writing degrees in and around the Bay Area (Stanford, Mills, Davis). Her novel 13 rue Thérèse will be published in February 2011. For more information visit Elena Mauli Shapiro’s blog.

I received a complimentary ARC of 13, rue Thérèse by Elena Mauli Shapiro from Reagan Arthur Books, Hachette Book Groups to offer my honest review of the book. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of aforementioned book.


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Book Review: Gideon’s Sword by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child

Monday 21 February, 2011 by 5 Comments


Title: Gideon’s Sword
Author: Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Publication Date: February 22, 2011
Hardcover: 352 pages
ISBN: 9978-0316083287
Genre: Fiction, Suspense, Thriller

From the Publisher:

At twelve, Gideon Crew witnessed his father, a world-class mathematician, accused of treason and gunned down.

At twenty-four, summoned to his dying mother’s bedside, Gideon learned the truth: His father was framed and deliberately slaughtered. With her last breath, she begged her son to avenge him.

Now, with a new purpose in his life, Gideon crafts a one-time mission of vengeance, aimed at the perpetrator of his father’s destruction. His plan is meticulous, spectacular, and successful.

But from the shadows, someone is watching. A very powerful someone, who is impressed by Gideon’s special skills. Someone who has need of just such a renegade.

For Gideon, this operation may be only the beginning . . .

My Review:

Those who enjoy action packed adventures will enjoy the fast-paced world Gideon Crew lives in.  Gideon’s Sword, by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, is the first in the Gideon’s Crew series and as a debut for the series it is quite exceptional.  Gideon Crew is no ordinary man, as a child he witnessed the violent death of his father, who was framed. On her deathbed, he vowed to his mother he would avenge his father’s death and upon learning he only has a year to live (which makes one wonder since this is a new series, but enough on that) why not go for it, he is a man with nothing to lose.  Preston & Child will take the reader throughout the world in a fast-paced, action packed adventure, which will keep the readers’ attention as Gideon’s quest as an operative (although he does not technically work for any one agency) turns out to be more deadly than even he thought.  The ensemble of characters is well done and Gideon, a former art thief, talented liar, and his ability to take on other personalities makes him an excellent operative.  His promise to his mother on her deathbed, and his belief he has only a year to live, helps fuel his desire for revenge.  Gideon’s Sword was an enjoyable book; personally I prefer more intellectual gymnastics rather than action-packed adventure, yet I still enjoyed the book.  If this was a movie, my family would truly enjoy all the action scenes and I would probably opt not to watch.  I am unfamiliar with the Pendergast series by Preston & Child, but apparently this new series is a spin-off.  The book is an engaging and quick read, but probably not a series I would continue reading, as I really do prefer my thrillers to have far less action and a lot more thinking.  For those who enjoy action packed thrillers Gideon’s Sword may be the book for you.

About the Authors:

Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child are coauthors of the bestselling novels Relic, Mount Dragon, Reliquary, Riptide, Thunderhead, The Ice Limit, The Cabinet of Curiosities, Still Life with Crows, Brimstone, Dance of Death, The Book of the Dead, The Wheel of Darkness, Cemetery Dance, and Fever Dream. Preston’s bestselling nonfiction book, The Monster of Florence, is being made into a major motion picture. His interests include horses, scuba diving, skiing, and exploring the Maine coast in an old lobster boat. Lincoln Child is a former book editor who has published four bestselling novels of his own. He is passionate about motorcycles, exotic parrots, and nineteenth-century English literature. The authors welcome email from their readers and learn more about them visit their website or subcribe to their newsletter.

I received a complimentary ARC of Gideon’s Sword by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child from Meryl L. Moss Media Relations, Inc. and Hachette Book Groups to offer my honest review of the book. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of aforementioned book.


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