Sunday, October 23, 2011

Girls...who are you?


"‘Fat’ is usually the first insult a girl throws at another girl when she wants to hurt her.

I mean, is ‘fat’ really the worst thing a human being can be? Is ‘fat’ worse than ‘vindictive’, ‘jealous’, ‘shallow’, ‘vain’, ‘boring’ or ‘cruel’? Not to me; but then, you might retort, what do I know about the pressure to be skinny? I’m not in the business of being judged on my looks, what with being a writer and earning my living by using my brain…

I went to the British Book Awards that evening. After the award ceremony I bumped into a woman I hadn’t seen for nearly three years. The first thing she said to me? ‘You’ve lost a lot of weight since the last time I saw you!’

‘Well,’ I said, slightly nonplussed, ‘the last time you saw me I’d just had a baby.’

What I felt like saying was, ‘I’ve produced my third child and my sixth novel since I last saw you. Aren’t either of those things more important, more interesting, than my size?’ But no – my waist looked smaller! Forget the kid and the book: finally, something to celebrate!

I’d rather they were independent, interesting, idealistic, kind, opinionated, original, funny – a thousand things, before ‘thin’. And frankly, I’d rather they didn’t give a gust of stinking chihuahua flatulence whether the woman standing next to them has fleshier knees than they do. Let my girls be Hermiones, rather than Pansy Parkinsons."

--J.K. Rowling





So, girls, who are you? Are you judged on your looks rather than who you are as a person? I know I've had this happen a few times to me. It is unfortunate, isn't it? After coming upon these words of wisdom, I felt enlightened.


Who you are is far more important than what you look like. Don't let people get you down because you're not fake or a size 0 like they are. God loves you for you, as long as you are following in His footsteps and treating others as you would have them treat you.


I thought it would be nice to share those encouraging words with you guys. :) Have a wonderful week and remember, God loves you!

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Harry Potter: In-Depth Review




Title: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Author: J.K. Rowling
My Rating: 4 and a half stars
Buy The Book:
-HERE-

"Harry Potter has never been the star of a Quidditch team, scoring points while riding a broom far above the ground. He knows no spells, has never helped to hatch a dragon, and has never worn a cloak of invisibility.

All he knows is a miserable life with the Dursleys, his horrible aunt and uncle, and their abominable son, Dudley -- a great big swollen spoiled bully. Harry's room is a tiny closet at the foot of the stairs, and he hasn't had a birthday party in eleven years.

But all that is about to change when a mysterious letter arrives by owl messenger: a letter with an invitation to an incredible place that Harry -- and anyone who reads about him -- will find unforgettable.
For it's there that he finds not only friends, aerial sports, and magic in everything from classes to meals, but a great destiny that's been waiting for him...if Harry can survive the encounter."






"Never wondered how you got that mark on yer forehead? That was no ordinary cut. That's what yeh get when a powerful, evil curse touches yeh -- took care of yer mum an' dad an' yer house, even -- but it didn't work on you, an' that's why yer famous, Harry. No one ever lived after he (Voldemort) decided ter kill 'em, no one except you."


'I'm sorry, but I'm just never going to read Harry Potter, I have a big problem with it.' 'No, I'm not going to read Harry Potter!' 'I love you, but I'm not going to read the books no matter how much you recommend them...'

Such were the responses I gave not only to my best friend, but several others who kept badgering me to read the ever famous Harry Potter series. For years, I had gone on the assumption and preaching that Harry Potter was inherently evil and the message inside was nothing a good Christian should lay eyes on. With that opinion carved on my mind, I never even attempted to listen to the other side of the argument and had set up my mind to never lay an eye on the books. I went on in this thinking until last winter, when I started to slowly give in and listen to what fans had to say. Could there really be a good story in there, or was it as I had originally thought? How could I truly form an opinion without actually reading the material? That's when I marched my way into the library and checked out a copy of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.

As soon as I could, I began reading the book. It all begins with a description of the infamous Dursley family, kin to Harry Potter. We are given a scenario involving a cat who transforms into an older woman by the name of Professor McGonagall, and an old, cloaked man. They begin to discuss a celebration of sorts that their 'kind' has been partaking in; a celebration of the 'death' of the wickedest wizard-gone-bad there ever was, Voldemort, or more famously known among the magic people as 'You-Know-Who'. A rumor is told to be truth in that discussion, Lily and James Potter, a pair of the best wizards of their time, had been killed by Voldemort in his last moments. But their son, Harry Potter, had survived an evil curse Voldemort cast, evaporating his power. Thus is born the fame of Harry Potter.

"My dear Professor, surely a sensible person like yourself can call him by his name? All this 'You-Know-Who' nonsense -- for eleven years, I have been trying to persuade people to call him by his proper name: Voldemort." Professor McGonagall flinched, but Dumbledore, who was unsticking two lemon drops, seemed not to notice. "It all gets so confusing if we keep saying 'You-Know-Who'. I have never seen any reason to be frightened of saying Voldemort's name."
"I know you haven't," said Professor McGonagall, sounding half exasperated, half admiring. "But you're different. Everyone knows you're the only one You-Know-Who -- oh, alright, Voldemort, was frightened of."
"You flatter me," said Dumbledore calmly. "Voldemort has powers I will never have."
"Only because you're too, -- well -- noble to use them."
~pg. 11

The old man, called Albus Dumbledore, explains to Professor McGonagall that Harry will be brought to live with the Dursley's. He will grow up with them and have everything explained in due time.
The delivery of Harry Potter, now donning a lightening bolt scar on his forehead where Voldemort had tried to kill him, to the Dursley's doorstep is completed.

Several years into the future and we find a ten-year-old boy with wild black hair and glasses living in a cupboard under his aunt and uncle's staircase. Hopelessly ignored and treated as dirt, Harry would give anything to live another life. Little does he know that that new life is just around the corner. When Harry begins to receive mysterious letters addressed to him, his uncle refuses to let him read them. Suspicion arises. Who would keep sending these letters nonstop
and why was he not allowed to view them?

Yet when a giant named Hagrid finds where the Dursley's have fled to in hope of getting away from the letters, Harry finds out who he really is. A wizard. His parents are revealed to have not been killed in a car accident as his aunt and uncle had said, but killed by a powerful wizard, and somehow, he himself had killed this powerful dark wizard by surviving his deadly curse. The letter is finally given to the now eleven year old Harry Potter, explaining that he has been accepted into the magical school, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Through a series of events, Harry finally finds himself living a life so different from his previous. A life he could only have ever dreamed of.

"Are you really Harry Potter?" Ron blurted out.
Harry nodded.
"Oh -- well, I thought it might be one of Fred and George's jokes," said Ron.
"And have you really got -- you know --..." He pointed at Harry's forehead.
Harry pulled back his bangs to show the lightening scar. Ron stared.
"So that's where You-Know-Who --?"
"Yes," said Harry, "but I can't remember it."
"Nothing?" said Ron eagerly.
"Well -- I remember a lot of green light, but
nothing else." ~ pg. 98-99

My initial reaction was one of skepticism. It was going to take a lot to get me to like this after growing so adapted to my thinking of the wrong teachings inside. Gradually, as I read more and more, I wondered if I could have possibly been wrong in my assumptions. First of all, I could not find the 'black magic' and 'dark arts' being taught to the students at Hogwarts. To me, it was like all other magic we have found in previous Disney films. Potion brewing used not to physically harm people. Simple spells uttered to direct their wand into doing something, but none of the spells allowing them to kill or seriously harm anyone (e.g.: Wingardium Leviosa to levitate small objects, Alohomora to unlock magical locks) An actual class called Defense Against the Dark Arts. History Class. Broomstick riding. Even a sporty game kind of like soccer played in the air called Quidditch.

"Harry, everyone says Dumbledore's the only one You-Know-Who was ever afraid of.
With Dumbledore around, You-Know-Who won't touch anyone. Anyway, who
says the centaurs are right? It sounds like fortune-telling to me, and Professor McGonagall says that's a very imprecise branch of magic."
~pg. 260


I fell in love with J.K. Rowling's writing, first of all. It's an unusual blend. Not overly flowery and descriptive and not very difficult to understand. Yet it all pieced together so well and helped the flow of the story. I fell in love with the style almost instantaneously.

"Let me explain. The happiest man on earth would be able to use the Mirror of Erised like a normal mirror, that is, he would look into it and see himself exactly as he is. Does that help?" Harry thought. Then he said slowly, "It shows us what we want...whatever we want..." "Yes and no," said Dumbledore quietly. "It shows us nothing more or less than the deepest, most desperate desire of our hearts. You, who have never known your family, see them standing around you. Ronald Weasely, who has always been overshadowed by his brothers, sees himself standing alone, the best of them all. However, this mirror will give us neither knowledge or truth. Many have wasted away before it, entranced by what they have seen, or been driven mad, not knowing if what it shows is real or even possible." "The mirror will be moved to a new home tomorrow, Harry, and I ask you not to go looking for it again. If you ever do run across it, you will now be prepared. It does not do well to dwell on dreams and forget to live, remember that." ~pgs. 213-214

Secondly, the fact that I found an absence of dark arts being used by the good wizards was a definite help in forming my new opinion. I realize that there are other sources of magic in the book such as the use of spells, potion making and broomstick riding, but I'd be so bold as to say that I don't find this wrong. For one, I know this is fantasy. I know this is not possible and should not be tried. I know sticking a bunch of random objects in a cauldron (flowers, porcupine quills, or even unicorn's blood [because we all know unicorn's are real, Charlie!]) won't get you a forgetfulness, hiccuping, or even a polyjuice potion. I also realize riding on a broom in the air is not possible. Because honestly, if it was, I'd be flying up there all day if I could. I really do believe the magic in this book is taken way out of proportion.


I'd like to bring a examples to light:
In Star Wars, we are given The Force. [Taken from the Star Wars wiki] The Force was a metaphysical, binding, and ubiquitous power that held enormous importance for both the Jedi and Sith monastic orders. Known as the Way in ancient times, the Force was viewed in many different aspects, including, but not limited to, the light side, the dark side, the Unifying Force, and the Living Force.

Likewise, in Harry Potter we have magic. [Taken from the Harry Potter wiki] In the Harry Potter series, created by J. K. Rowling, magic is depicted as a natural force that can be used to override the usual laws of nature.

Simply, they can both do things that defy nature's laws and they can both be used for either the good or evil side. Also, those who possess the powers are born with them. In my opinion, very similar.

"He was starting to get a prickle of fear every time You-Know-Who was mentioned. He supposed this was all part of entering the magical world, but it had been a lot more comfortable saying "Voldemort" without worrying." ~pg. 107

I'd like to propose this: is it okay with watching Snow White fall under a spell by the evil witch's curse and have her prince wake her up with a magical kiss? Is it okay to view Pinocchio, a puppet brought to life by the magic of a fairy, become a real boy by the fairy's magic again? What about Fantasia? Cinderella and her fairy godmother who uses magic to give Cinderella her dress, shoes, and carriage? I could go on for a long time. Let's face it, Disney is made of magic, and if you look hard enough, it's not that different from Harry Potter.

While I do not suggest Harry Potter be viewed by young children just for the simple fact that they get a bit dark later on (but mind you, no darker than the favored Lord of the Rings), I do not believe that I am harming myself spiritually by watching these as well as when I am
watching Disney movies.

With the mention of Lord of the Rings, I'd like to bring in some examples from there. As found on the Lord of the Rings wiki page: Magic, here defined as mystical, paranormal, or supernatural activity, appears in various forms of J.R.R. Tolkien's fictional realm of Middle-earth. Gandalf is our primary example of a magical being, a wizard whose staff is known to hold magical power.

"Your mother died to save you. If there is one thing Voldemort cannot understand, it is love. He didn't realize that love as powerful as your mother's for you leaves it's own mark. Not a scar, no visible sign...to have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection forever."
~pg. 299

I will put my case to rest there. There are several movies widely accepted by the general populace that include magic, and even though not completely prevalent to the story, are not battered down and called demonic. After watching the series unfold in movie format, I was stunned by the display of good morals and lessons taught throughout. While the plot of Harry Potter might be revolving around their advancement through Hogwarts and trying to defeat the now risen Voldemort for good, I see a book with lessons on morality, loyalty, faithfulness, endurance and courage. If the book had delved into the display of dark magic, summoning spirits, ghosts and the like, rituals and chanting, I would have put it down and cast it far away from me immediately.

"After all, to the well-organized mind, death is but the next greatest adventure. You know, the stone was really not such a wonderful thing. As much money and life as you could want! The two things most human beings would choose above all -- the trouble is, humans do have a knack of choosing precisely those things that are worst for them."
~pg. 297

Harry Potter was not written as an allegory, therefore, we have no right trying to judge it as one. But as a Christian, I will always first look for good morals, if good will ultimately win over evil, and different elements. If a book contains something that I find to be harmful, I will put it down. I never found that with Harry Potter. Instead, as I stated before, I found a story about bravery, courage, loyalty, good morality, and endurance.

"Harry -- you're a great wizard, you know?"
"I'm not as good as you," said Harry, very embarrassed, as she let go of him.
"Me!" said Hermione. "Books! And cleverness! There are a lot more important things -- friendship and bravery and -- oh Harry -- be careful!"
~pg. 287
I do not seek here to convince you to read Harry Potter, because really, some times things like this just don't appeal to people. What I wanted to do here was give my reasons for my frustration at the common assumption that Harry Potter is inherently evil and teaching kids not only to deal in witchcraft, but bad morals and lessons. Here's a fact, I fell completely in love with the series and I do plan on reading them to my children, Lord Willing. I started out as a Harry Potter Hater, but now I'm a Harry Potter Fan, and I suspect I will be for a very long time yet. Timeless characters, good lessons, classic writing and an impeccable storyline, I'm hooked. :)


"See what I have become?" the face said. "Mere shadow and vapor...I have form only when I can share another's body...but there have always been those willing to let me into their hearts and minds..."
~pg. 293







What's Coming Up Next?

The Horse and His Boy, by C.S. Lewis
Raising Dragons, by Bryan Davis
Skeleton Key, by Anthony Horowitz
The Inconvenient Marriage of Charlotte Beck, by Kathleen Y'Barro
Torrent, by Lisa T. Bergren
Life Support, by Robert Whitlow
The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, by J.K. Rowling

Friday, September 30, 2011

Precisely Terminated: Book Review



Title: Precisely Terminated
Author: Amanda L. Davis
My Rating: 5 Stars
Buy The Book:
-HERE-

Did you know Amanda L. Davis and her father, Bryan Davis, are on tour together right now?
Check it out here!


"With microchips implanted in their skulls at birth, the slaves of Cantral and Cillineese have labored under the tyrannical rule of the Nobles and their computers for decades. Monica, a Noble who avoided the implanting and escaped a death sentence at the age of four, is now sixteen and is in hiding. She lives with the slaves inside the walls of the Cantral palace, pretending to be one of them while the slave council plots a way to use her chip-less state to destroy the all-powerful computers that strike down any hint of rebellion.

The Nobles hear of Monica’s survival and try to exterminate her before she ruins their upper-class utopia. The rebels send her to find a missing paper bearing instructions on how to shut down the computers that control the chips in Cillineese, a major city-state. The Nobles are alerted to the plan and prepare to seal Cillineese in a giant dome to gas the inhabitants, including Monica.

The fate of millions rides on Monica’s shoulders. As the only chip-less person in the world, she must find the paper, destroy the computers, and free Cillineese from the Nobles’ iron fist before they strike with the ultimate punishment—death for everyone inside the city walls."



When I heard that one of my good friends was going to have her book published, I was extremely happy. Amanda Davis's writing has always been something that I've admired and the plot to this book sounded very intriguing. As soon as I received an advanced reader's copy, I picked up the book and began to devour it. From the first chapter, we're given great description and storytelling. I got into the book right away and hated putting it down. Unfortunately, I did not finish this as fast as I would have due to a very busy schedule.


Before Precisely Terminated, I had never read a dystopian novel before. For a first-time dystopian reader, I was very impressed. I loved the theme of the whole story and the different way things worked. It was so unlike any other fiction I've read. Not only was the storyline intriguing, but the characters equally so. Our main character is like none I've ever encountered before. I loved her progression throughout the story.

I am already very much looking forward to the next two books in the series. Following Monica's adventures to save everyone is going to be an incredible journey, I can already tell. In so saying, I highly recommend this book!



What's Coming Up Next?

The Horse and his Boy, by C.S. Lewis

Raising Dragons, by Bryan Davis

Skeleton Key, by Anthony Horotwitz

The Inconvenient Marriage of Charlotte Beck, by Kathleen Y'Barro

Torrent, by Lisa T. Bergren

Life Support, by Robert Whitlow

And a special in-depth review of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, by J.K. Rowling


Thursday, September 22, 2011

The Bridge to Neverland: Book Review




Title: The Bridge to Neverland
Authors: Dave Berry and Ridley Pearson
My Rating: 3 and A Half Stars
Buy The Book:
-HERE-



"Aiden and Sarah Cooper have no idea what they're getting into one afternoon when they discover a mysterious coded document in a secret compartment of an antique English desk their father recently bought at an auction. Something about the document seems familiar to Sarah, and that night she realizes what it is: the document seems to be referring to some books she has read -- the Starcatchers series, about the origin of Peter Pan. But how could that be? The document seems far older than the books. And of course, the books are just stories...

Curious, Sarah and Aiden begin to decipher the mysterious document. At first it's a game -- unraveling the mystery piece by piece, each piece leading them to a new, deeper puzzle.

But soon the game turns strange -- and scary.
They discover that the "stories" are real, and that what they thought was a fictional battle between good and evil is still going on. And the scariest part is: They have become part of it.

Pursued by a being that can take any form and will stop at nothing to get what it wants from them, Aiden and Sarah embark on a desperate, thrilling quest for help -- a quest that leads them to some unforgettable people in some unlikely places, including one that's not supposed to exist at all. At each step they must solve new puzzles and escape new dangers, all the while knowing that if they fail, the evil they are fleeing will be let loose on an unsuspecting world."




While hunting through the library bookshelves for a completely different book one afternoon, I stumbled upon this. The title was the thing that did me in. I'm a huge fan of anything Peter Pan, so naturally, this appealed to me very much. After I had read the description, I got even more excited. It was sort of a sequel to the Starcatchers series I so much enjoyed. So, totally ditching the other book I had come to get, I got this out instead.

Unfortunately, as much as I was excited about this book, it did not turn out to be very great, in my opinion. For one, it didn't seem to have the general feeling of the previous book's writing. I took into account that this is supposed to happen a long, long time after the other book took place, but I still couldn't get into it. The pace went far too quickly, the characters didn't catch my immediate attention and draw me in, and the writing didn't stand out to me at all. I really wanted to give this the benefit of the doubt and enjoy it, but I just couldn't get into it. The adventure was fun, I will admit, but it wasn't my cup of tea.

There were several negative things that I think might have added to the feeling I came out with. First of all, I did not enjoy the general lying, stealing and treatment the children gave to the parents. It was very disrespectful and I did not appreciate that. The second thing I really did not like in the book was the fact that the Lord's name was taken in vain more than a dozen times.

All in all, the age range recommended by the publisher for this book is ages 9-12. I do not highly recommend it, though.






What's Coming Up Next?

The Horse and His Boy, by C.S. Lewis
Raising Dragons, by Bryan Davis
Skeleton Key, by Anthony Horowitz
The Inconvenient Marriage of Charlotte Beck, by Kathleen Y'Barro
Torrent, by Lisa T. Bergren
Life Support, by Robert Whitlow
Precisely Terminated, by Amanda L. Davis
And a special, in-depth review of, Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone, by J.K. Rowling

Monday, September 5, 2011

Cascade -- Book Review




Title: Cascade
Author: Lisa. T. Bergren
My Rating: 5 Stars
Buy The Book:
-HERE-

Watch the book trailer
-HERE-.

"Gabi knows she's left her heart in the fourteenth century, and she persuades Lia to help her to return, even though they know doing so will risk their very lives. When they arrive, months have passed, and Siena longs to celebrate the heroines who turned the tide in the battle against Florence -- while their enemies will go to great lengths to see them dead.

Even in the midst of the battles, Gabi's heart is increasingly drawn to Marcello, just as Lia's is to Luca. In medieval Italy, the sisters discover things inside themselves that they couldn't seem to find in the present -- connection with their mom, courage within, and the understanding that a life well lived often means encountering sacrifice. But in a world long past, many things still keep Gabi from giving Marcello her heart forever...and one thing in particular calls all three of the Betarrinis home."






Lisa T. Bergren has created yet another compelling story! This sequel to Waterfall is as intriguing, action-packed and romantic as the first! The return of our heroines, Gabriella and Evangelia, is grandiose. This time, we're introduced to Mrs. Betarrini, the only-spoken about mother of the two girls. The three are whisked back several hundred years only to find three months has passed since the leave of Gabi and Lia. Reunited with Castello Forelli and their Lords, Gabi and Lia once again find themselves in the midst of a battle. The return of their grave enemy, Lord Paratore, will haunt them. This second installment boasts more battles, more dangers and more mystery than the former book.

I can not compare either Waterfall or Cascade. Both kept me riveted and sitting on the edge of my seat. The character's depth was as rich and incredulous as before, the story as compelling, the plot as intriguing, and the action as intense. I highly, highly recommend these books! They have quickly made their way up to almost my #1 favorite series! I loved them so much, that I am, in fact, going tomorrow to pick up from the bookstore the recently released third book in the series, Torrent.

I highly recommend these books to lovers of historical-fantasy-time-traveling lovers aged 14 and up.






What's Coming Up Next?

The Horse and His Boy, by C.S. Lewis
Raising Dragons, by Bryan Davis
Skeleton Key, by Anthony Horowitz
The Inconvenient Marriage of Charlotte Beck, by Kathleen Y'Barro
Torrent, by Lisa T. Bergren
Life Support, by Robert Whitlow
Precisely Terminated, by Amanda L. Davis
The Bridge to Neverland, by Dave Berry and Ridley Pearson
And, a special, in-depth review of: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, by J.K. Rowling

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Waterfall: Book Review




Title: Waterfall
Author: Lisa T. Bergren
My Rating: 5 Stars
Buy The Book:
-HERE-

Watch the book trailer
-HERE-.

"Most American teenagers want a vacation in Italy, but the Bentarrini sisters have spent every summer of their lives with their parents, famed Etruscan scholars, among the romantic hills. Stuck among the rubble of medieval castles in rural Tuscany on yet another hot, dusty archeological site, Gabi and Lia are bored out of their minds… until Gabi places her hand atop a handprint in an ancient tomb and finds herself in fourteenth-century Italy. And worse yet, in the middle of a fierce battle between knights of two opposing forces.


And thus does she come to be rescued by the knight-prince Marcello Forelli, who takes her back to his father’s castle—a castle Gabi has seen in ruins in another life. Suddenly Gabi’s summer in Italy is much, much more interesting. But what do you do when your knight in shining armor lives, literally, in a different world?"






To put my thoughts of this book in a short blog post is near impossible. All I can say is: WOW. What an incredible piece of fiction! Lisa T. Bergren has given teen and adult readers alike a great adventure to follow along to. With characters true to their individual times, it is hard to not fall in love with them all. Well, except for the bad guys.

For one, I thoroughly enjoyed the writing and tone of the book. Mrs. Bergren gave us a clear definition between the culture now in modern times versus the culture over six-hundred years ago. While the style has a bit of a different flavor, it is very refreshing and helps set the mood of the book.

A second thing I loved was the reality of the characters. As mentioned before, they are very believable to their times. It can be hard to delve fully into a book when the characters seem completely unrealistic to the period of history they are placed in. Mrs. Bergren has done a fantastic job in having them act out perfectly what one would act like in their time.

The journey was also incredible. There wasn't a time that I didn't want to read several chapters, if not the whole book, in one sitting. The flow of the action sequences and the sections of story where battles and adventures aren't happening are paced just right and keep you wanting to flip the pages even faster.

As a fun little side note -- Mrs. Bergren mentioned on her River of Time Series Facebook Page that she thought, if ever there would be one made (please, Lord, this would be the BEST movie ever), Ben Barnes might play a good Marcello. With that in mind, I imagined Marcello's character being played by Ben Barnes. Since the dude is so incredibly handsome, imo, it might of made the book 10 times better. Silly Tippie!

I highly, highly recommend this book for adventure/time traveling/romance fans ages 14 and up.






What's Coming Up Next?

The Horse and His Boy, by C.S. Lewis
Raising Dragons, by Bryan Davis
Skeleton Key, by Anthony Horowitz
The Inconvenient Marriage of Charlotte Beck, by Kathleen Y'Barro
Cascade, by Lis T. Bergren
Life Support, by Robert Whitlow
Precisely Terminated, by Amanda L. Davis