Review: Hades by Alexandra Adornetto

Bethany Church had hoped for things to settle down since she and her boyfriend, Xavier, had battled Jake Thorn. But thanks to a Halloween seance gone wrong, Jake is able to briefly come back and wreak havoc. He tricks Bethany into taking a ride on his motorcycle. Shortly after, Bethany finds herself trapped in Hell with Jake.

This was my first book from young author Alexandra Adornetto. I am a huge fan of the Dark Fantasy genre and was looking forward to reading this one, as I had quite a few already queued when I received it.When I finally started it I found the author's style to be very comfortable, which made for fast reading. Always a plus.

The story, however, progressed a bit slow for my liking. I understand the construct of setting up comfortable characters and situations so that you can turn them upside down. I just think that may have went on a bit too long. I was so relieved when Jake finally showed up to shake things up a bit. The idea of an angel being forced to go to Hell was interesting and a nice change from the early part of the book.

While I did like Hades overall, I could not help but have issues with the characters. Bethany is supposed to be an angel, the embodiment of good, and Jake is supposed to be a lord of Hell, the embodiment of evil. Yet neither stuck to their own values all that strongly. Plus, one minute they are powerful and can do anything, and the next, they are just normal. Then there was Molly's (crush?) on Gabriel. It just sort of appeared for no reason and then drama ensued. I found that whole side plot just a bit awkward.

It was not quite the book I was hoping for, but not a total loss either. I am curious to see what the next book will bring. I would like to see a little more character growth and a bit more action and excitement.


Hades is the second book in the Halo series. Halo was published in the fall of 2010 and Heaven will be the third book.

Alexandra Adornetto was only fourteen when she published her first book, The Shadow Thief, in Australia. The daughter of two English teachers, she admits to being a compulsive book buyer who has run out of shelf space, and now stacks her reading “in wobbly piles on my bedroom floor.” Originally from Melbourne, Australia, Ally is now a college student in the U.S.

I received an advance copy of this book for review from the publisher.

Rating: 3/5
Hades by Alexandra Adornetto
Feiwel and Friends
Publication Date: August 30, 2011

Review: Fury by Elizabeth Miles

Emily has a crush on Zach, a popular football player at her school. She thinks he has a thing for her too. The only problem is that Zach is dating Emily's best friend, Gabby. But even that does not stop an impromptu hook up while Gabby is away on vacation. Things spiral out of control from there as Emily is forced to face the ramifications of her decisions.

First things first. The cover of this book is amazing. I have no doubt that this book will sell a ton of copies based on the cover alone. The girl with the fiery red hair is both gorgeous and mysterious. It grabbed my attention when I first saw it and made me look into what the book was about.

Fury is the first in a new trilogy by author Elizabeth Miles. I would classify it as teenage horror, with a touch of paranormal. The story focuses on bad behavior and its consequences. Emily goes behind her best friend's back to be with Zach. Chase does whatever he can to escape his trailer trash image and become the star athlete. Both characters are self absorbed and prove prime targets for the Furies.

I liked the idea of pulling the Furies from Greek mythology and throwing them into a story like this. Ty, Megan and Ali show up as three beautiful, yet dark teens. At first they appear to be the bad guys of the story. But as you learn more about the characters, you will have to decide if each person's actions are deserving of their consequences.

The first two thirds of the book were great for me. I enjoyed watching the characters get into trouble and try to squirm their way out. I felt the tension building to a dark climax. But once I got there, I was a bit disappointed. The ending felt rushed. I think revealing what the Furies were all about a bit earlier in the story would have been better. Too much was thrown in at the end, without a lot of time to digest it properly.

Fury is aimed at a teenage audience. I would be careful of letting too young a reader get hold of this one. There are some naughty moments (nothing graphic), some bad language, and violence, including suicide. I like that the characters are not all straight laced and proper, but it may not be appropriate for all.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. The ending brought my rating down just a bit, but I would still recommend this book. I look forward to seeing where the series goes from here.


Elizabeth Miles is the author of the Fury Trilogy, a book lover, a horror-movie scaredy cat, a food lover, and a sometimes actress. She lives in Portland, Maine, she's a Boston University alum, and she hails originally from Chappaqua, NY.
I received a review copy of this book from the publisher.

Rating: 3/5
Fury by Elizabeth Miles
Simon and Schuster
Publication Date: August 30, 2011

Repost Review: Role of a Lifetime by James Brown

This review was originally posted on September 24, 2009.


James Brown grew up in Washington, D.C. He attended DeMatha Catholic High School and later Harvard University where he earned a degree in American Government. Brown was also a three time All Ivy League basketball player. James Brown has won three Emmy Awards for Outstanding Studio Host. He is currently the host of CBS Sports' The NFL Today and Showtime's Inside the NFL.

Role of a Lifetime is much more than just an autobiography of James Brown. The book relates Brown's plan for living a successful life. He had many mentors along the way to help form his foundation including his mother, father, Coach Wooten, his wife Dorothy, and most important to him, God. James learned from many people along the way and now serves as a role model for anyone wishing to be successful in life.

Life was not always easy for James Brown. He loved to play basketball. He was very successful in high school and then later at Harvard. He dreamed of playing in the NBA and attended NBA training camps twice. Unfortunately, he was the last player to be released both times. But he accepted this both times and made the right decisions at the time to remain successful in life.

While working for Xerox, James worked under Addison Barry Rand, a member of the senior management team who outlined certain principles for success. Brown took this list and refined it over the years to become what he calls his "Ingredients for Successful Living". The seven ingredients are: Good Communications Skills, Appearance, Personal Relations, Punctuality, Thirst for Knowledge, Being a Team Player, and Overcoming Adversity.

It is very entertaining to read how James Brown learned the ropes of sports broadcasting and moved his way up the chain until finally reaching a hosting spot with Fox Sports. The overall theme here is learning from your mistakes and continuing to strive in an honest and moral fashion. Brown does address the thought process behind leaving Fox for CBS, something that he is constantly asked.

I found this book very interesting and not what I expected when I first learned of the book. There is plenty of information about James Brown's life and background, but the best part of the book, in my opinion, is the overall blueprint for being successful and remaining a good person.

Iron House Audiobook Winner

I would like to congratulate Julie (jwitt33) as the winner of John Hart's Iron House Audiobook. I will be contacting you soon to arrange shipment.

Thank you to all that entered. This was the first of many giveaways here at Reading With Mo. Please stop by as often as possible.

Review: Iron House Audiobook by John Hart

Michael grew up in a horrific orphanage in North Carolina called Iron House. While there, he was forced to defend his brother Julian. After leaving Iron House, Michael worked as an enforcer for an organized crime family. When he learns that his girlfriend, Elena, is pregnant, he tries to get out. But getting out proves to be a monumental undertaking.

I first became acquainted with John Hart when I read The Last Child back in March of 2010. I remember being truly surprised at how great that book was. John Hart combined thriller, romance, and mystery into an emotionally charged reading experience. I was hoping for something equally as great with Iron House. I got what I wanted.

John Hart knows how to craft interesting characters. I think his success with this is based on ratios. Each character is comprised of greatness, mediocrity, and evil. The magic is in how these are proportioned within each character. There are no cookie cutter characters in Hart's works. They are deep and complicated.

The settings in Iron House were described in a vivid way that was unobtrusive to the plot. The mountains in North Carolina seemed so removed from the rest of the world, adding to the sense of desperation some of the characters felt while forced to be there. The compound of Senator Vane equally added to the nefariousness of his character.

My commute is about an hour each way, so audiobooks are my preferred method to pass the time without going crazy. With some books, I have found it hard to keep focused on the story. But not with this one. It held my interest from the very beginning. I found myself sitting in the parking lot at work trying to justify listening to just a little bit more.

The narration is top shelf. Scott's voice has a deep, raspy timbre that just feels comfortable right away. His pacing and emotion make it easy to identify with the characters, especially the main character, Michael. If you have not listened to many audio books, this would be a great one to start with. There is plenty of action and suspense, and hearing it, somehow makes it just pop.

It is rare that I give a book a five out of five rating. I feel this one deserves it. Iron House is a hard charging thriller with lots of action and suspense. But it is also an intense psychological thriller, with deep characters that are both flawed and exceptional. The narration by Scott Sowers makes this experience a memorable one.

I received a review copy of this audiobook from the publisher.

Rating: 5/5
Iron House by John Hart
Read by Scott Sowers
Macmillan Audio
Publication Date: July 12, 2011



John Hart is the New York Times bestselling author of Down River,The Last Child and The King of Lies. He is a two-time winner of the Edgar Allen Poe Award. Hart was born and raised in North Carolina. For a time he practiced criminal defense law, but left to focus on his writing. He used to do foolish things, like fly helicopters and sail small boats across large oceans. Now, with a loving young family, he writes books, which is harder but safer.

Scott Sowers is an accomplished actor of both stage and screen. His theater credits include roles in Inherit the Wind, A Streetcar Named Desire, Bus Stop, and A Few Good Men. His screen credits include guest roles on Law and Order, The Black Donnellys, Six Degrees, and All My Children. He has also appeared in Trust the Man, The Village, and The Ten. He has narrated audiobooks for many authors including Douglas Preston, Robert Ludlum, John Hart, and Nicholas Sparks. 

Repost Review: Holmes on the Range by Steve Hockensmith

This review was originally posted on June 11, 2009.

Big Red and Old Red are brothers trying to survive in late nineteenth century American wild west. They take jobs as hands for the Sussex Land and Cattle Company. Everything seems to be going just fine, until the bodies start piling up. Old Red, being a fan of the great Sherlock Holmes, sets out to solve the mysteries of the deaths and the Cantlemere Ranch.

Steve Hockensmith has created two fascinating characters in Big and Old Red. Their adventures are interesting and down right fun to read. The story is told primarily through the use of dialogue. Hockensmith has taken great efforts to make the dialogue of the characters representative of the era. This adds to the charm of this book.

This promises to be a wonderful series of books. I have read the next in this series, On the Wrong Track. It is even more amazing than this book. I look forward to reading The Black Dove, the third installment for Big and Old Red. You can also check them out in several short stories featured in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine.

Review: Spycatcher by Matthew Dunn

MI6 agent William Cochrane is Britain's most deadly operative. Now he is tasked with taking down Megiddo, believed to be a general in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. Will thinks he has the perfect plan, but soon learns that his prey is more dangerous than any he has hunted before.

I typically enjoy fast action, suspense thrillers. I am usually able to set realism aside, and enjoy a good shootem' up story. But the action in Spycatcher is so far removed from reality that it was just not an enjoyable read. The main character, Will Cochrane, was able to endure so many injuries and still function that there was no suspense. It was a given that he would walk away from whatever the bad guy could dish out.

The characters were mostly one dimensional stereotypes. Few had any development at all. It seemed like they were pulled from various spy movies and just thrown into the plot with little planning. The dialogue did not flow well and I admit I found myself skimming quite a bit just to get through this one.

This one just did not work for me. It seems people either loved this one or hated it. You will just have to decide for yourself.


Matthew Dunn spent five years in the British Secret Intelligence Service as an operative. He worked on several missions across the world, some under deep cover. His skills included agent running and debriefing, weapons training, surveillance, unarmed combat and many more.

I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher for review.

Rating: 2/5
Spycatcher by Matthew Dunn
Harper Collins Publishers
Publication Date: August 9, 2011

Review: Tunnel Vision by Susan Shaw

What would you do if someone you loved was horribly murdered right in front of you? Liza is forced to go into hiding with her father after her mother is shot outside of their home. How can she possibly deal with her loss while becoming someone new in a witness protection program? Father and daughter search for a way to exist while living in mortal danger each day.

The first section of this novel deals with Liza's loss of her mother. It is very emotional. I found myself with tears in my eyes at several points. The situation she finds herself in is so horrible, yet so plausible, that it easy to walk in her shoes and feel her pain.

The middle of the book focuses on Liza and her father moving around to avoid the bad guys. It was, honestly, a bit boring. After such an emotional start to the book, I expected things to move along at a quick pace, but they did not. I stuck with it, though, thinking that the plot was building to a big finale, or at least some more action. But I was wrong.

The climax never happens in the novel. I really dislike novels that end with no resolution. It can be negative or positive, but I need resolution. Otherwise, what is the point? That is exactly how I felt at the end of this book. I was asking myself, why would someone write a book that goes nowhere?

I give this one a three out of five. The beginning was really good, but after that, there just was not much there.


I received an advance copy of this book for review from the publisher.

Rating: 3/5
Tunnel Vision by Susan Shaw
Simon & Schuster
Publication Date: August 16, 2011

Repost Review:

This review was originally posted on May 30, 2011.

John Stone has built a hugely successful ship building company. His customers include several governments throughout Europe. He is married to the exquisite Elizabeth, a socialite in demand for every social event. The world is shocked when Stone plummets to his death from a window at his mansion.

Stone's will leaves money to an unknown child. Elizabeth hires Matthew Braddock, a newspaper man, to find information about this child. Elizabeth has decided to honor her husband's wishes and find the child if possible. In searching for the child, Braddock finds that there is much more to Elizabeth than she allows people to see.

Iain Pears has crafted a wonderfully complex and captivating novel. The story is divided into three sections, each moving back a ways in time and told from the view of a different character. Each of the three sections are left somewhat unresolved, but that adds to the mystery of Stone's death.

The characters are intricate and deep. The story takes you on a journey fraught with political espionage and financial intrigue. There is a fantastic mix of action, historical settings, and love story. Just when you are sure that you will not have the answers you have been searching for, Pears ties all of the loose ends into a surprising finality.

This is a thought provoking work of historical fiction. Do not let the size of 800 pages scare you away. The settings and characters will grip your attention from the beginning and not let go. This could be my favorite book of the year.

Iron House by John Hart Audiobook Giveaway

Thanks to a wonderful person at Macmillan Audio, Reading With Mo is hosting a giveaway of John Hart's newest audiobook, Iron House.

The rules are simple. Leave a comment on this post with an email address and you will be entered for a chance to win. Become a follower of my blog and earn an extra chance. Pretty Simple.

All comments and following must be completed by 11:59PM EDST on August 22, 2011. The winner will be announced on August 23, 2011 as part of my review of this audiobook. This giveaway is limited to entries from the United States only. The prize is being shipped by the publisher.

If you have any problems, just drop me an email.

Good Luck!


Here is a sample of the audiobook:

Review: Ghost Story by Jim Butcher

At the end of Changes, book twelve in the Dresden Files series, our favorite wizard found himself suddenly dead. Having just saved his daughter from the hands of the Red Court, Dresden was looking forward to a chance at romance with Murphy. Now he has to figure out how things work in the land of the dead.

This one was originally supposed to be released in April, but was pushed back to July. That disappointed fans, myself included, but I understand that creativity does not always conform to deadlines. According to Jim-Butcher.com, Jim's reasoning went something like this: "It came down to, readers could either get a half-assed story in April, or a full-assed one in July!”

I am happy to say that it was worth the wait. The story goes in a different direction than I was expecting. Even though this is book thirteen in the series and the characters are well established, everything felt fresh. Harry's death is a major catalyst for change in the supporting characters.

There is quite a bit of action in this one. Just because he is dead, does not mean Harry stays out of trouble. You should know better by now. He has to fend off quite a few strange characters using some unusual techniques.  I did, however, find some of the middle of the book just a bit tedious to get through. I won't go as far as saying I was bored, but it was a bit slow.

The ending makes up for that. There are some pretty emotional parts once you learn the mystery behind Harry's death. I will not give it away, but just say that I loved that part of the story. It was completely unexpected and that made it even more awesome.

If you have not read this yet, go out and buy it right now. It is well worth it. You will get to see the inside of Bob's skull and Molly on the bridge of the USS Enterprise. What more could you ask for?


Jim Butcher is a martial arts enthusiast with fifteen years of experience in various styles including Ryukyu Kempo, Tae Kwan Do, Gojo Shorei Ryu, and a sprinkling of Kung Fu. He is a skilled rider and has worked as a summer camp horse wrangler and performed in front of large audiences in both drill riding and stunt riding exhibitions.

Jim enjoys fencing, singing, bad science fiction movies and live-action gaming. He lives in Missouri with his wife, son, and a vicious guard dog.

Jim goes by the moniker Longshot in a number of online locales. He came by this name in the early 1990's when he decided he would become a published author. Usually only 3 in 1000 who make such an attempt actually manage to become published; of those, only 1 in 10 make enough money to call it a living. The sale of a second series was the breakthrough that let him beat the long odds against attaining a career as a novelist.

All the same, he refuses to change his nickname.


Rating: 4/5
Ghost Story by Jim Butcher
Penguin Group
Publication Date: July 26, 2011

This review was originally posted on May 6, 2009.

The government has known about the existence of aliens since the 1950s. In fact, they created an alliance with them, allowing them to conduct experiments on human subjects in exchange for technology. What could come of an alliance with such an alien race? The end of life as we know it of course. The aliens are arranging for an asteroid to collide with earth and destroy all but a select few. Former Collaboration assassin Michael Kendon has only three days to find a way to stop the asteroid and save mankind.

James Murdoch has successfully combined a wonderful science fiction story with a fast paced, page turning thriller. Then, just to add flavor, he sprinkles on little bits of military thriller. This is a book that you will read very fast because you just can't wait to see what happens next.

Aliens trying to destroy the earth is certainly nothing new to science fiction novels. I applaud James Murdoch for not letting the story get bogged down trying to explain how each piece of alien technology might work. In fact, most of the book has a distinct non-science fiction feel to it. The action is fast and you can sense the tension the characters are feeling as they rush along to save the world.

This was a great novel and I look forward to reading more from James Murdoch in the future.

Review: Before Ever After by Samantha Sotto

Three years has done nothing to ease the pain Shelly Gallus feels at the loss of her husband Max. She does not know what to think when Paolo shows up at her door claiming to be the grandson of her Max even though he is the same age as Max when he died. Stranger yet, Paolo claims that her Max is alive and living in the Philippines.

Before Ever After is a heart-warming romance with just a hint of mystery and adventure woven in. Unlike standard mystery novels, solving the mystery is not the main focus here. It is the journey and all of the magical characters that you meet along the way.

Shelly and Max come together on a tour around Europe. The story bounces back and forth among different time periods, giving us several mini stories that all tie back in to Max. Each story is brought about by the tour visiting a different area. The historical ties make these stories all the more fascinating.

I found the book to be quite charming. If you have a romantic bone anywhere in your body, then you should have no problem enjoying this one. I am not usually a fan of romantic stories, but this one held my interest and made me smile quite a few times.

Samantha Sotto fell in love with Europe's cobbled streets and damp castles when she moved to the Netherlands as a teenager. Since then, she has spent nights huddled next to her backpack on a beach in Greece, honeymooned in Paris, and attended business meetings in Dusseldorf in the pleasant company of a corporate credit card. Before Ever After was inspired by her experiences living, studying, and traveling in Europe. This is her first novel.

I received an advance copy of this book for review from the publisher.

Rating: 3/5
Before Ever After by Samantha Sotto
Crown Publishers
Publication Data: August 2, 2011