Flight-Sherman Alexie

Mr. Alexie, you are on NOTICE. If you write ONE MORE novel as brilliant as Absolutely True Diaries of a Part Time Indian or Flight, you will officially be my new literary boyfriend.

Flight tells the story of "Zits," a half Indian, half White 15 year old foster child. His mother died when he was six, and his father ran off the day Zits was born. Because his father never claimed him, Zits can't claim legal status as an Indian. As such, he's placed with white family after white family.

Zits harbors a deep anger and hatred for his situation in life. And I don't blame him; he's been through something like 20 foster homes (none of them good) and all his belongings fit in a backpack. Understandably, he's kind of a prick. But, you know, I have a GIANT soft spot for unruly foster kids, so I liked Zits immediately.

Convinced by a "friend" he met in Juvie, Zits walks into a bank, armed and crazy, and opens fire. A bullet explode into his head and then...nothingness. When he wakes up, he finds that not only is it 1975, but he's inhabiting the body of Hank Storm, an FBI agent.

Zits careens through space and time, waking up in new bodies that witness shocking acts of violence and revenge, including Custer's Last Stand.

Of course there's a moral lesson here about the damage seeking revenge can cause, but the moral never feels heavy handed. I adored Zits, and teared up more than once as he told his story. As this is a Sherman Alexie novel, I also laughed quite a bit.

Seriously Mr. Alexie; I'm one more good book away from staring at your author photo with little cartoon hearts in my eyes. I may or may not begin keeping a photo of you on my bedside. You know, something like this:


Don't say you haven't been warned.

Hold Tight-Harlan Coben

I think it's about time to review something written by my literary boyfriend (Also known as my LBF), Harlan Coben. Call me a romantic, but his ability to write a good murder mystery had me from day one. I've found all of his books equally interesting, so I'm just going to review the first one I ever read, "Hold Tight." The story is about Mike and Tia Baye, concerned parents who decide to start monitoring the computer activity of their sixteen-year-old son, Adam. He has been acting despondent and temperamental lately, especially since the death of one of his classmates, Spencer Hill. After reviewing Adam's e-mails, his parents become increasingly worried about their son's safety. And when Adam goes missing, they refer to a series of cryptic messages that lead Mike on a wild chase around the city. I'm talking dead hookers, brutal fist fights, undercover drug clubs, hostage situations kind of wild. On the quest to find his son, Mike learns more about Spencer's death and Adam's possible involvement. I wish I could go into more detail, but I don't want to reveal all the good stuff. Let's just say, Coben will keep you guessing until the last page.
Coben has been described by a fellow mystery writer as a "modern master of the hook-and-twist." That couldn't be more accurate--my LBF knows just how to keep me coming back for more. I forsee a long literary relationship...