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THE RELUCTANT VISIONARY

A smart supernatural tale that delves deeply into its main characters’ lives.

Awards & Accolades

Our Verdict

  • Our Verdict
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In Groover’s dramatic paranormal thriller, multiple members of a family grapple with strange and startling visions.

In modern-day Center Point, Texas, Jessica Atwood, a 29-year-old Black woman, lives on a failing farm with her brother and stepfather. She has haunting, dreamlike premonitions that make life even more difficult for her. Like those of her mother and grandmother, Jess’ visions are “hit-or-miss” in their ability to foretell future events. If they’re incorrect, the townsfolk could believe that Jess is mentally ill; if they’re true, then disastrous events may well come to pass. The spirited woman feels as if she carries the weight of the world on her shoulders, but she vows to help as many people as she can with her burdensome gift. This is easier said than done, however—especially after Jess begins to experience terrible, urgent premonitions of young women being kidnapped in their town. As she endeavors to find peace and the strength to be a hero, Groover introduces an account of Anna Mae Cole, Jess’ grandmother, growing up in the mid-1960s with the same unique, frustrating powers. The author expertly weaves together the women’s dire struggles to do what’s right and also their trials and tribulations as they attempt to come into their own in the 1960s and in the present day. As Jess strives to keep her farm afloat while dealing with annoying neighbors and mysterious men interested in buying her property, Anna Mae navigates a broken family and finding and losing love. Strong themes of generational trauma, family bonds, and finding one’s truth coexist in a well-paced plot, and as readers connect with Jess’ or Anna Mae’s narratives, they’ll find themselves engaged by an intriguing mystery.

A smart supernatural tale that delves deeply into its main characters’ lives.

Pub Date: June 20, 2023

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: 372

Publisher: Deep Pacific Press

Review Posted Online: June 26, 2023

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2023

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NOW OR NEVER

As usual, Evanovich handles the funny stuff better (much better) than the mystery stuff.

Stephanie Plum’s 31st adventure shows that Trenton’s preeminent fugitive-apprehension agent still has plenty of tricks up her sleeve, and needs every one of them.

The current caseload for Stephanie and Lula—the ex-prostitute file clerk at her cousin Vincent Plum’s bail bonds company, who serves as her unflappable sidekick—begins with two “failures to appear.” Eugene Fleck is suspected of being Robin Hoodie, who robs from the rich and, yes, distributes the proceeds to the poor. Racketeer Bruno Jug, who’s missed his court date on charges of tax evasion, is also suspected of drugging and raping a 14-year-old. But neither of these fugitives can hold a candle to Zoran Djordjevic, aka Fang, a self-proclaimed vampire wanted in connection with the gruesome fate of his late wife and three other missing women. As usual, Stephanie’s personal life is just as helter-skelter as her professional life as a bounty hunter. She’s managed to get herself engaged both to Det. Joe Morelli, of the Trenton PD, and Ranger, a former Special Forces agent who runs a private security firm; she thinks she may be pregnant; and she’s willing to marry the father, whichever of her fiances that turns out to be. On top of it all, her nothingburger schoolmate Herbert Slovinski suddenly pops up at one of the funerals she ferries her Grandma Mazur to, hitting on her relentlessly and gilding his importunities by cleaning and painting her shabby apartment and laying new carpet. Luckily, Lula’s on hand to offer cupcakes that stave off the worst disasters, and whenever this hodgepodge threatens to slow down, another FTA appears, or fails to appear.

As usual, Evanovich handles the funny stuff better (much better) than the mystery stuff.

Pub Date: Nov. 5, 2024

ISBN: 9781668003138

Page Count: 320

Publisher: Atria

Review Posted Online: Oct. 26, 2024

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2024

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TOM CLANCY DEFENSE PROTOCOL

Plenty of excitement for Clancy fans.

Chinese president Li Jian Jun plans a sneak attack on Taiwan, and it’s up to the Jack Ryan administration to stop him without going to war.

President Li announces a naval exercise, but his real plan is Operation Sea Serpent, the lightning reunification of Taiwan. His minister of defense, Admiral Qin Hâiyû, thinks the idea is crazy because a great number of people would die, but he can’t say so. Li is not a man to be challenged, and he’s already had one of his ministers executed. But Qin wants to stop the war before it begins. Perhaps he can get word to the Americans so they can cut off the mad scheme, and he’s troubled by whether his actions will make him a traitor or a patriot. A Western asset nicknamed the Spider helps facilitate his dangerous disappearance as he attempts to leave China, and authorities in Beijing don’t know if he’s been kidnapped or has defected. Meanwhile, the Ryan administration wants to get him safely extracted from mainland China. President Ryan orders that an American naval vessel will transit through the Strait of Taiwan, which the People’s Republic has blockaded. Will there be a bloody showdown that triggers a major war? So much can go wrong, and there are series regulars like John Clark and Ding Chavez at the tip of the spear. And there’s also Katie Ryan, a lieutenant commander with the Office of Naval Intelligence who’s deployed to Taiwan because she’s “one hell of an intelligence analyst” who “thinks outside the box.” She’s a “rising star” who refuses to trade on her relationship with her father, President Ryan. There’s not much violence, although there’s enough to call it a military thriller. One brave American is fading fast from a round to his chest, but he has time to smile about that “hot” Katie Ryan. (Yes, yes, we all like the Ryans.) The novel’s big question is not which nation wins, but whether they fight. Bravery and clear thinking will have to come from both sides. By the way, Jack Junior isn’t in this one—it’s Katie’s time to shine.

Plenty of excitement for Clancy fans.

Pub Date: Dec. 3, 2024

ISBN: 9780593717974

Page Count: 432

Publisher: Putnam

Review Posted Online: Oct. 10, 2024

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2024

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