If you've read other books by Karen White, you'll recognize her damaged-woman-finds-healing/redemption-in-revealing-long-buried-family-secrets formula. I'm usually more than down with that, but the familiar plot got a little tedious for me in White's newest, The Beach Trees. The novel kept my attention, even though it ran long, it was just the little things that bugged me - the characters never really came alive for me, some of the plot twists seemed illogical, and the book's Julie-can-survive-her-trials-because-Katrina-victims-didn't-give-up-in-the-face-of-theirs seemed a bit heavy-handed. I also puzzled over things like Julie's decision to up and move to Mississippi without even seeing the house she inherits and the way the Guidrys welcome a complete stranger into their home, not blinking an eye when she questions them about sensitive issues from their pasts. Then, there's Julie's complete devotion to Monica, a character who might as well be a paper doll for all we know about her. So, yeah, I had some issues. All in all, though, I enjoyed the read, just not as much as I wanted to.

(Readalikes: The Lost Hours by Karen White; The Memory of Water by Karen White; Tomorrow River by Lesley Kagen)

If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG-13 for mild language (no F-bombs) and a small amount of sexual content

To the FTC, with love: I received a finished copy of The Beach Trees from the lovely ladies over at TLC Book Tours, for whom this review was written.

Since I can't figure out exactly how to describe Savannah Grey by British author Cliff McNish, I'm going to use the summary on its jacket flap:

Savannah Grey needs to keep moving. She doesn't know why, but she can't let herself get tied down by too many people. It's almost like she's being chased by something. And now something strange is happening with her neck - with her throat.

Savannah Grey never thought she'd meet someone like Reece - a guy who seems to understand her. He even knows about her neck. The same thing is happening to him. It's as if their voices are becoming weapons, warming up for some kind of attack.

Savannah Grey has no idea what might be chasing her or why her voice suddenly feels like the most powerful weapon on the planet, but she's about to find out.

Nature is preparing for battle with the universe's ultimate monster. The time to fight is almost here.

The weapon is Savannah Grey.

If creepy books disturb you, may I suggest giving anything written by Jennifer McMahon a wide berth? And by wide, I mean don't even look at the covers (they're disquieting, anyway), don't read the plot descriptions on the jacket flaps, and definitely don't skim the first pages. If you do, you'll be stuck. Then, you'll hate yourself for reading something so ... creepy. I'm not talking creepy in the familiar vampire/zombie/demon/werewolf way either, I'm talking about the worst kind of creepy - the kind humans perpetrate every day.

Consider yourself warned.

Island of Lost Girls begins with recent college graduate Rhonda Farr, who stops at the local gas station to fill up before heading to Burlington, Vermont, for a job interview. She's got so much on her mind - the job she doesn't really want, but needs for her resume; Peter, the man she wants, but can't have; the constant-ness of life in small-town Pike's Crossing; Peter, Peter, Peter - that she doesn't realize she's witnessing the kidnapping of a small child until it's too late. When Rhonda describes the kidnapper to the police, they seem a little skeptical. A 6-foot tall white rabbit snatching little Ernestine Florucci? At the gas station? In plain sight? But Rhonda knows what she saw. She also knows, with terrifying certainty, that she's seen the rabbit costume before. Thirteen years before, to be exact, right before her childhood friend, Lizzy, disappeared. Never to be seen again.

Rhonda's so shaken up by the whole experience that she can barely function. While she gives statements to the police and helps look for the missing girl (even though the child's mother accuses her of being involved in the crime), Rhonda searches for clues that will lead to Ernie's rescue. She refuses to believe what others in town are saying - that Peter is involved - but the more evidence she finds, the worse things are looking for her old friend. And if Peter's capable of hurting little Ernie Florucci, could he have done something to Lizzy all those years ago? Torn between her feelings for Peter and her desperate need to know the truth, Rhonda will solve the mystery of the lost girls, even if it means losing the man she loves forever.

(Readalikes: Reminded me a little of Tomorrow River and Whistling in the Dark, both by Lesley Kagen)

Grade: B-

If this were a movie, it would be rated: R for strong language, violence and sexual content

To the FTC, with love: I received a finished copy of Island of Lost Girls from the generous folks at Harper Collins and TLC Book Tours, for whom this review was written.

When Sarah Price's novelist husband sells a book early critics are calling the best of his career, she's thrilled for him. Sarah's spent the last four years working so Nathan could write full-time, keeping the kids under control so they wouldn't kill his focus, and giving up her own dreams of publishing in order to make his come true. His success is her success. Even the title of the book - Infidelity - doesn't faze her. Until Nathan confesses that his soon-to-be bestseller is not entirely fictional.

Nathan's revelation sends Sarah reeling. Even though he swears the affair was a one-time deal and that the other woman means nothing to him, Sarah's not sure how to react. His confession makes her doubt everything she knows to be true about her husband, her marriage, and herself. As she grapples with Nathan's trangression, Sarah tries to remember the woman she was before marriage, before motherhood, before real life began. Startled to realize how much she's changed, Sarah embarks on a trip into the past that could change everything about her future.

It's difficult to summarize Husband and Wife by Leah Stewart because, truly, not a whole lot happens. Nathan confesses. Sarah reacts. And reacts. And reacts. And reacts. Then she decides - once and for all - whether or not she should stay with her husband. The rest of the story consists of Sarah's ruminations on life, love, marriage, maternity, idealism and identity. While some of these reflections are poignant, even poetic, none of them really endeared me to Sarah. In fact, I found her weak and whiny. It wasn't until Chapter Fifteen, which finds her struggling to deal with two needy children in a crowded McDonald's, that I finally felt some connection to her. That prolonged disconnect, coupled with the book's overall gloominess, made Husband and Wife a real downer for me. I took to calling it "the depressing book" because, despite Stewart's skilled prose, that's what this book was - completely depressing. The subject: depressing. The characters: depressing. Sarah's tedious thoughts: depressing. Frankly, I couldn't wait to finish the book and move on. 'nough said.

(Readalikes: Um, I can't think of anything. Suggestions?)

Grade: C

If this were a movie, it would be rated: R for strong language, depictions of illegal drug use, and sexual content

To the FTC, with love: I received an ARC of Husband and Wife from the generous folks at Harper Collins and TLC Book Tours, for whom this review was written.

When Gray Lachmann's dad dies of a heart attack, she feels responsible. Wracked with guilt and grief, the 27-year-old New Yorker turns to the one thing that always brought comfort to her obese father - food. By the time Grey finally feels steady enough to deal with her duties as the executor of his will, she's toting around an extra fifteen pounds. And a bingeing habit that's taking over her life, sucking away every ounce of self-worth she possesses. It's only when Grey finds the name of a mysterious woman in the will that she wakes from her calorie-induced stupor.

Gray never knew her father cheated on her mother, had no idea he fathered another child. Now, she's determined to find Eden, her teenaged half-sister. Taking a job at the North Carolina summer weight-loss camp Eden will be attending seems to be the perfect kill-two-birds-with-one-stone solution: Gray can work off her spare tire and bond with her sister at the same time. Simple. Except that it's not. Battling her own hunger is difficult enough, but she also has to break up fights between drama queen dieters; deal with the mantra-spouting joke of a camp director; and keep her hormones under control whenever Bennett, the sexy physical trainer, comes around. As the flabby barrier she's built around her heart begins to melt away, Gray must find the courage to face some harsh truths - about her body, her family, and herself.

Skinny, Diana Spechler's sophomore novel, surprised me with its quirky humor and raw, but sympathetic exploration of obesity. The characters come on strong, yanking the story in all kinds of crazy directions by the sheer force of their personalities. It's a warm, zany book, that's easy to relate to and difficult to put down. I enjoyed it. And quite thoroughly, too.

(Readalikes: Reminded me a little of Plus by Veronica Chambers)

Grade: B

If this were a movie, it would be rated: R for strong language and sexual content

To the FTC, with love: I received an ARC of Skinny from the generous folks at Harper Collins and TLC Book Tours, for whom this review was written.

The minute Trace Grayson spies Giselle on the boardwalk in St. Joseph, Missouri, he's taken with her. She's young, beautiful and seems to have a bright sense of humor. When he finds out that she's to be on the wagon train he's leading west, Trace can hardly beleive his luck. Not that he's interested, of course. As soon as he unloads his Mormon travelers, he'll head to California. And he's not planning on letting anyone - especially not a Mormon someone - distract him from that path.

Only things don't work out quite that way. Before the wagon train even gets rolling, there's trouble. To protect Giselle from a vindictive mobster, Trace agrees to a sham marriage that will be annulled as soon as they reach the Mormon settlement. With that problem out of the way, they finally roll out of Missouri - only to be hit with worries like illness, bad weather, Indians stalking the wagon train, and squabbles between the travelers. Meanwhile, Trace and Giselle must battle the emotions warring in their hearts. The closer they grow to each other, the more they know it will hurt when the time comes to say goodbye forever. Can their love survive the trials of trail life? Will Giselle make it to Zion? And what will happen when Trace is forced to choose between the woman he loves and his dreams of California?

Any kid who's been through Primary can tell you what it was like to be a Mormon pioneer crossing the plains to reach Zion (Utah). They can describe how the travelers gathered buffalo chips to fuel campfires, pulled their wagons into circles each night for protection, chased off marauding Indians, stomped over treacherous mountain passes, and risked their very lives and limbs to find a place where they could practice their religious beliefs in peace. These tales are as familiar to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints as the noses on their faces. So, the question becomes, how do you tell a pioneer story in a way that's historcially accurate but original enough to keep the reader's attention? The answer is: You weave the familiar details into the stories of complex, original characters struggling with difficult, life-altering problems. Voila! Problem solved.

The characters Jaclyn M. Hawkes introduces in her debut novel, Journey of Honor, are, unfortunately, not of this variety. Both Giselle and Trace are good, honest, forgiving people, which makes them likable, but bland. They fail to develop, they fail to change - in fact, they fail to do anything surprising at all. Which explains why the tale is nice, just not anything special. I think in trying to create an inspirational, faith-promoting novel, Hawkes makes a handful of rookie mistakes (making the characters too perfect, not giving the romantic relationship enough conflict, letting the story wander down predictable paths, not giving the characters strong enough motivations, etc.) that bog down what had the potential to be a very entertaining book. With some intensive editing, it could have been a much more affecting novel. As is, it's just a little too blah, a little too cliche, a little too forgettable for my tastes.

(Readalikes: In the Company of Angels by David Farland and Saints by Orson Scott Card)

If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG for scary images and vague sexual references

To the FTC, with love: I received a finished copy of Journey of Honor from the generous folks at MediaGuests, for whom this review was written. Thank you!

Getting married? Moving out on your own? Suddenly feeling the need to learn how to cook? Well, Salt Lake City chef Shawn Bucher's got you covered. Or, at least he will once he finishes his entire series of First Timer's cookbooks. He began writing the series to answer the many cooking questions he gets every day. Frustrated with the lack of simple, effective how-to-cook books currently on the market, he decided to write his own. The books in the collection will all feature simple, step-by-step instructions for performing basic food preparation/cooking techniques as well as large, colorful photographs to help illustrate the concepts being discussed.

The First-Timer's Cookbook, the initial entry in the series, covers a lot of material, but focuses mostly on preparing the three main portions of any meal: meat, vegetables and starches. Bucher talks about how to select the best of each, prepare them most easily and cook them most effectively to ensure superb taste. His explanations are, indeed, easy to follow, even for the most novice of cooks. The included photographs also work well, demonstrating important ideas, like how to tell the difference between cooked and undercooked meat. While some of the information seems a little too basic, most of it will come in handy even for more experienced cooks.

My main issue with the book is that it's not actually a cookbook, or at least, it includes no recipes. I would have liked some simple, beginner-type recipes that utilized the techniques being taught, as a way for the reader to try out or practice things like making a roux or flavoring a dish with herbs.

Other than that, I found the book to be a quick, helpful resource that, I think, will give new cooks the confidence to keep honing their skills in the kitchen. Those with more years behind the stove will likely find The First-Timer's Cookbook too simplistic, but may want to keep it in mind for gifting to new brides, grooms, college students, or anyone who wants to learn the fine art of cooking.

(Readalikes: Nothing is coming to mind. Any ideas?)

Grade: B-

If this were a movie, it would be rated: G for nothing offensive

To the FTC, with love: I received a finished copy of The First-Timer's Cookbook from the generous folks at MediaGuests, for whom this review was written. Thank you!