Selected as proxies by leaders of conflicting alien races, the Theria and the Krush, the battle for Earth’s fate is determined by the actions of Chris, who becomes the Okie Angel, and Li Chen, who becomes the mythical Dragon King destined to free China from oppressive Japanese rule.

The detailed description of the Krush’s approach toward Earth in the beginning of the novel drew me in and held my attention. The author has a skilled way of introducing two alien species, showcasing their differing ideologies on what should become of Earth. Akkad, the primarch of the Krush, is especially entertaining with his constant tail-thrashing, tongue-flicking and claw-clinking, making the ferocious character leap out of the pages of the book and into my subconscious. Yes, the creature wants to conquer Earth and eradicate humanity, but there is something delightfully dark in the attitude and mannerisms of the space invader that I couldn’t help but revel in his haughty, militaristic presence.

While the view point changes frequently in this novel, the author does a good job in making the transitions smooth. Historical figures, such as Theodore Roosevelt, pop in and out of the story, bringing the decade of the 1930’s to life in print.

The historical background provided throughout the book is both a blessing and a curse. While it is evident the author spent a great deal of time researching the time period, I found myself skimming some of the less important facts and figures to get back to the action of the novel. The narration feels more textbook than literary in parts. I can appreciate the author endeavoring to create an authentic setting, but the greatest strength of the novel is characterization. Unfortunately, the brilliant characters were sometimes overshadowed by overly-detailed, emotionless passages.

Overall, Proxies of Fate is a well-written, entertaining romp. Action-packed and character-driven, this is a fluid story with a message of hope for humanity. At times it reads like pulpy sci-fi, at other times like an elaborate graphic novel; collectively, it showed the best and the worst of mankind, and how the actions of one man can change the course of history.

I believed in Super Heroes when I finished this novel.

This article was submitted by a reader like you! We would love for you to add one too! Write your own book review on any book!

This post was submitted by Jay Byrd.

Eating right does not have to be time consuming or expensive, actually I think it is cheaper to eat healthy than it is to eat processed food. When you eat healthy, you are more healthy, thus lowering medical costs in the future. I’m proud of the eating choices I make when I open up my cupboards and fridge and hardly anything has the words “high fructose corn syrup” on them. We also don’t believe in artificial sweeteners; studies have shown that when you use them you are more likely to gain weight then lose weight. How about you just eat normal things in moderation? Or sweeten things with natural sugars from fruits? I know I’m doing a good job when my son gets excited about broccoli!

What book or books have had a huge impact on your life?

So I went to the mailbox this morning and what did I find? Winging It: A Memoir of Caring for a Vengeful Parrot Who’s Determined to Kill Me by Jenny Gardiner I have been eagerly anticipating this novel and cannot wait to delve into it! Hmmm… Will it be a Tea Drinking Reader type of book? Or shall I have a cup of coffee to accompany my read?

Here is a quick teaser from Winging It by Jenny Gardiner….

Like many new bird owners, Jenny and Scott Gardiner hoped for a smart, talkative, friendly companion. Instead, as they took on the unexpected task of raising a curmudgeonly wild African grey parrot and a newborn, they learned an important lesson: parrothood is way harder than parenthood.

Winging It was described to me as a mix between Marley and Me and David Sedaris. Well, I love both Marley and Me and David Sedaris!

Stay Tuned for updates on my journey through this book!

*Book was sent to me from the publisher

My goal for this weekend is to spend a little time on the beach with An Irish Country Girl and finally finish it! I have really enjoyed what I have read so far and can not wait to give it the time and energy it deserves! So, look out for An Irish Country Girl by Patrick Taylor, coming Monday!

If you all remember Bree Tanner from Eclipse, this story is about her short life and role she has in trying to take down the Cullen family and Bella. I think I’m going to have to read Eclipse again as I read all the books one after the other in about three days, they all mesh together.

Hopefully this book is as entertaining of a read as her previous books; if it’s a short story I can’t imagine it taking more than an hour or two to read. According to her site, you can download the book for free for a limited time, or buy a hard copy to add to your collection of Twilight! A side note, $1 of every hard copy will be donated to Red Cross!

Enjoy!

What I like about Pt. Reyes Books is the small atmosphere and easy to find book selection. They have a huge selection about organic and sustainable growing and eating as well as lots of reads about Bay Area living. It is here that I found out about one of my new favorite authors, Micheal Pollan; he seems to be sort of a hero in Marin and rightfully so!

I love how they organize the books on display tables and I often pick out my next reads from these tables (remember I most always pick up a book according to its cover!). Actually, it is always a great idea to promote books by laying them out instead of on a shelf! The prices are decent here and I’m pretty sure they don’t have too much of a problem with people bringing in the occasional coffee cup while they browse (if they do, then they should have a bigger, in your face, sign like at Copperfield’s).

Pt. Reyes Books also have many interesting events, I still need to make my way to one, and the website is very comprehensive. I’m not too sure about the helpfulness of the staff because I’m never looking for anything in particular when I’m there, but I have seen them be very helpful towards other customers!

While you are in Pt. Reyes you have to stop in at this bookstore and after wards make your way into Bovine Bakery (my other guilty pleasure, bakeries).

I am pleased to feature yet another great independent bookstore on Best Book Review! Remember, when you get the chance always support your local bookstores!

Do you have an independent bookstore you want to share? Contact us!

Dirty: A Search for Answers Inside America’s Teenage Drug Epidemic
Meredith Maran

Nobody ever claimed that I stick to one genre or topic! This past week I grabbed Dirty from the library shelf, not because I have a drug addict teenager, but because the cover looked interesting. There you have it! I am guilty of judging a book by its cover. Now let’s get onto the book…

Synopsis:
Dirty is about exactly what it claims to be about: the problems teens have with drug addiction. The author herself has a son that struggled with drug addiction as a teenager and she set out to follow three radically different teens with different backgrounds, but they all had one thing in common: drug abuse.

Each teen is from the Bay Area. Mike from Santa Rosa, Zalika from Oakland, and Tristan from San Francisco. Each teen has serious problems with some sort of drug addiction which has lead them into trouble with the law. Each teen has been through all sorts of rehab and treatment centers, but nothing seems to help. Meredith explores the differences and similarities between each troubled teenager and follows them through their journey while addressing the question “Why do some teens develop drug problems, while others can occasionally dabble in drugs and alcohol, but never become addicts?” She also delves into the different types of drug treatment facilities and goes into the nitty gritty of each one.

My Two Cents:

Dirty was a fascinating and troubling look at this country’s teen justice system and drug rehab centers. Basically, as this book will show you, the “War on Drugs” is a big joke, punishing yet again minorities and poverty level teens. Children in wealthy, middle class families are just as likely, if not more so inclined to do drugs and develop problems with them. The difference is how the justice system handles the cases. The children with money are sent to world class rehab facilities and “teen wilderness” camps to “wake them up” but does that really work? Poor teens are sent through our wonderful system or thrown in Juvie where they can “learn” from their peers. Why are we dealing with teens the same way we deal with adults? They are still just kids who need family support in tough times.

The book also delves into the joke ADD and ADHD diagnoses have become and the part pharmaceutical companies play in these diagnoses. Let’s drug up our children and worry about the repercussions later because for now they are calm and submissive. It’s not the parents’ fault, we trust the Doctor’s opinion as fact, but the truth of the matter is more and more learning disabilities are being diagnosed as behavior problems, two very different things. The sad point is the troubling ads in magazines that advise parents to ask about Ritalin for their children; I’m just saying that maybe we should take a step back from these brain altering drugs that we’re feeding our very small children and look into alternative treatments, then if nothing else seems to do the trick look into drugs.

Many teens that abuse drugs have been diagnosed with a behavior problem and put on some sort of Adderall, Ritalin, or heaven forbid Lithium (talk about gate-way drugs). Many of these teens, it turns out, don’t have a behavioral problem, but a learning disability that causes them to act out because they are bored, frustrated, or just don’t get what is going on around them. They start self-medicating as they get older because they’re not given the tools they need to problem solve.

This book is a wonderful insight to the problems of our younger generation, but don’t look for a happy ending.

The Lady and the Unicorn: Beyond the Tapestry

Tracy Chevalier

Tracy Chevalier takes on art history through a novel again, and successfully creates characters that give the story behind the art, this time of the famous medieval tapestry, “The Lady and the Unicorn.” Chevalier uses the voices of different characters to provide a changing point of view to the overall plot. I enjoyed this book immensely, as the tapestry has been a favorite piece of artwork of mine since I was a child. It was an entertaining and thought provoking book that made me start to think of other “stories behind the art” so to speak. I hope Chevalier tackles more in this genre, as I would enjoy reading more of her creations.

This article was submitted by a reader like you! We would love for you to add one too! Write your own book review on any book!

This post was submitted by Jennifer.

Set in 1936, “Letters from India” is a true short story, of “Love at First Sight” after a short romance of seven weeks, Ned and Ginny’s life will be put to the test. They hardly know each other and on their wedding day they sail to India.

Life in India was challenging and filled with many adventures. Then World War 11 set their lives in a spin. Ginny is forced to evacuate and has to leave Ned with the impending threat of Japan bombing Calcutta. Her trip back to New York was filled with challenges and frustration. The constant threat of war and the lack of transportation made her journey, a long and grueling undertaking.
Back in New York, she is miserable without Ned and longs to be with him no matter what the danger might be. Making the biggest sacrifice of her life, giving up her American citizenship, she becomes a Canadian.
Again she must travel thousands of miles, making the arduous journey of getting back to Ned. New adventures await her on the long trip, the war is only one of the hurdles she has to overcome.

This article was submitted by a reader like you! We would love for you to add one too! Write your own book review on any book!

This post was submitted by carolyn Hayward.

Quick Overview
Alice is a quiet and somewhat naive girl that learns tragedy as a teenager; what would her life had been like if that night had been different? She follows her dreams and learns hard life lessons along the way. Eventually she meets up with a loud, egotistical man who’s boisterous personality draws her in. Soon she’s a part of the Blackwell family, a powerful political family in Wisconsin, and her dimwitted husband eventually becomes president. Alice faces many dilemmas when her private and personal beliefs clash with her husband’s politics.

My Two Cents
Curtis Sittenfeld draws me in again! American Wife is not only a page turner, but it kept me up until the wee hours of the morning! This novel touches on lots of subjects and goes into the inner happenings behind the doors of powerful political families. Although this book is fiction, Sittenfeld does her research and the family that Alice marries into is eerily representative of a recent largely unpopular president. As a person with largely liberal views (although I really am more in the middle) I could relate to Alice, but still have compassion for her husband (who really isn’t very smart). I would highly recommend this book for a read in between reads, as it was fairly a breeze to read, but still very intriguing and thought-provoking, managing to keep a step above chick lit.

If you enjoyed Prep you would enjoy this book just as much.