A Thriller and a Memoir

Primative - Mark Nyakanen
Publisher:  Bell Bridge Books
Pages:  384
Source:  Reveiw copy from publisher

Take a model who symbolizes American consumerism, mix in one extreme primitive group with their own agenda.  throw in a daughter with a shaky relationship with her mother.  Add a government with their own agenda and a bounty hunter into the mix and what you have is a thriller that will keep you turning pages.  Sonya Adams is a middle age model who is kidnapped and used as a spokesperson for an extreme environmental group.  They count on her former career to get their environmental message across.  Darcy is sonya's daughter and she is determined to rescue her mother even though they have not had the best relationship.  Suddenly both mother and daughter find themselves fighting to survive.  They are caught between the terrorists on one side and the government on the other side.  Both sides believe they are in teh right.  This is an excellent must read book.  Although I usually read and review young adult books, it is a book like Primitive that leads me back to adult books.

Making Toast - Roger Rosenblatt
Publisher:  Ecco, (Coming out February 16, 2010)
Source:  ARC from publisher

Roger Rosenblatt lost his daughter Amy and a very early age.  She left behind a husband and three children.  The youngest only a year old.  Roger and his wife pulled up stakes and moved in with their son-in-law to help him with the children.  together they all work together to get through this tough time.  This memoir rang vvery true for me.  Roger talks openly and honestly about dealing with grief and how it affects all involved.  Simple things such as realizing they were having an off day and took it out on one of the young kids who was a little rambunctious was just one example.  He went on to show that all was forgiven because of the love that was being fostered.  His grandkids always knew that they were loved.    He showed that no matter what your job or station in life we all feel and think and react the same when faced with death.  I am sure this was written as a tool in his healing process, yet has the ability to help others heal.  A very open and honest book, one I will gladly pass on to friends.