Burn by Patrick Ness

Burn by Patrick Ness
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was an interesting book awesomely Narrated by Joniece Abbott-Pratt. I loved the audiobook version of this historical fiction book that also weaves in drag0ns, humans, goodness/evil, Russia and satellites. I loved Sarah and Jason both good, kind, honest teens who are hated by the locally racist sheriff because Sarah' mom was black and Jason's parents are Japanese. But life in 1957 is not always fair and Sarah's dad hires a dragon to burn their fields. But this blue dragon is highly intelligent, has a message for Sarah, and has evil forces working against them. When Sarah, Jason, the sheriff and the dragon clash, something awful happens, and that brings an assassin into the picture too. Malcolm is a Believer, who has been groomed to kill someone. He is great with knives and dangerous. As he falls in love with another man; another no no from the racist sheriff; they run away together and are pursued by law enforcement. I loved this book until they arrived in a new alternate universe and then the story just got bogged down bringing the reader up to speed in the new world. Evil was raging here and with Covid I find some books and what happens in them really turn me off, just like this book.

View all my reviews

The City by Dean Koontz

The City by Dean Koontz
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Bantam Dell for the ARC, The City by Dean Koontz, a mesmerizing read about lies, murder, magic, and the power of family and friends. Told by Jonah Kirk (age 9), at the urging of his best friend, Malcolm, the reader is catapulted into Jonah’s city, during the tumultuous 1960s, his family’s love of music, and the effect of his relationship with Miss Pearl, a supernatural being who is described as the soul of the City, which is both beautiful and evil and part of the grand plan of life. Jonah is much older, looking back telling the story of his life at the urging of Malcolm. And oh what a life it was. Miss Pearl visits Jonah just a few times when he is young and imparts important events (in his dreams) that scare him and cause him much distress. He withholds this information from his mother and grandfather, but confides in a Japanese neighbor, Mr. Yoshioka. What begins as a friendship between Jonah and this tailor will also involve murder, bombs, and evil characters (one of whom is his father). But the outcome of Jonah’s friendship with Mr. Yoshioka will involve a network of heroes, friends, and family who save Jonah when he most needs it. I loved Koontz’s characters and his descriptions (from the nine year old Jonah point of view as well as the fifty seven year old Jonah) were so melodic, terrifying, sentimental, and laugh out loud funny. I recommend this book to many audiences- those who love Koontz (naturally), young adults, and adults. There will be much discussion after reading this real, heart pounding, sizzling book with well-drawn characters and a plot that does not disappoint!

View all my reviews