Xpress Reviews—First Look at New Books

-- Library Journal, 6/26/2009 9:03:00 AM

The week of June 26, 2009

Fiction | Nonfiction

Fiction

Jance, J.A. Fire and Ice: A Beaumont and Brady Novel. Morrow. Aug. 2009. c.352p. ISBN 978-0-06-123922-9. $25.99. M
Jance (Partner in Crime) brings together two long-running series protagonists, Sheriff Joanna Brady and Detective J.P. Beaumont, to uncover the mysterious deaths of a young woman, found charred and mutilated in the Cascade Mountains, and a man crushed to death by an all-terrain vehicle in the Arizona sand dunes. What could be a thrilling novel of connecting-the-dots between these two cases instead strolls along at the pace of a family reunion.
Verdict Despite addressing complex themes of immigration, drug running, and alternative lifestyles, Jance doesn’t bring her usual sense of urgency to this title. Still, series readers will snap this up and be glad for the characters’ updates. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 4/15/09.]—Teresa L. Jacobsen, Solano Cty. Lib., Fairfield, CA

Jeffries, Sabrina. Wed Him Before You Bed Him. Pocket: S. & S. Jul. 2009. 384p. ISBN 978-1-4165-6082-1. pap. $7.99. HISTORICAL ROMANCE
Through five previous novels, widowed Charlotte Harris has seen students and staff of her school for young ladies find love (e.g., Don’t Bargain with the Devil). Now, an old flame, a man she once loved, and humiliated, reenters her life after 18 years, bearing £30,000 to help her build a new school. But what has become of Cousin Michael, her anonymous benefactor? Just when she needs his help, he has become uncommunicative. Will he let Charlotte flounder on her own? Will her old suitor appreciate the other man’s interference where Charlotte is concerned?
Verdict The last chapter in Jeffries’s "School for Heiresses" series includes all the sweet, sexy charm and lively action readers have come to expect, and true love triumphs over all obstacles, which include a murder investigation and all manner of nasty chaps. Bravo to Jeffries. [See Jeffries's essay on red herrings in 6/18/09 BookSmack!]—Bette-Lee Fox, Library Journal

Riggle, Kristina. Real Life & Liars. Avon A. Jun. 2009. 327p. ISBN 978-0-06-170628-8. pap. $13.99. F
Mira and Max Zielinski are celebrating their 35th wedding anniversary with 120 of their closest friends and their three children: Katya, Ivan, and Irina, who are blissfully ignorant that Mira has just been diagnosed with breast cancer. Of course, even without cancer, most families are like a bomb waiting to explode, and this crew is no different: Katya suspects her husband of having an affair, Ivan has been recently dumped, and Irina arrives fresh from her impromptu Vegas wedding with a baby on the way and an African American husband almost twice her age. Bomb? More like a munitions factory. 
Verdict First novelist Riggle goes beyond the stereotypes to create truly unique and idiosyncratic characters. She should find a wide audience among readers who can’t get enough of dysfunctional clans. [Reading group guide.] [For a collection of breast cancer fiction, see 4/3/09 BookSmack!]—Bette-Lee Fox, Library Journal

Silva, Daniel. The Defector. Putnam. Jul. 2009. c.480p. ISBN 978-0-399-15568-0. $26.95. F
Gabriel Allon, Israeli superagent and government-sanctioned assassin comes out of retirement in Italy to repay a debt of honor. A Russian defector who twice saved Allon’s life has been kidnapped and returned to Russia by former KGB thug and illegal arms dealer, Ivan Kharkov, who also kidnaps Allon’s new bride, Chiara. A gripping tale of bloody vengeance, spycraft, international finance, and politics ensues. Using the ensemble cast from previous novels, Silva (Moscow Rules) takes the reader on a hair-raising ride through London, Italy, and Moscow. 
Verdict Once again, Silva has written a suspenseful novel of espionage, violence, and corruption. His aging Allon is an assassin with a soul. He is tiring of violence; could this be the last Allon novel? One hopes not. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 3/1/09.]—Robert Conroy, Warren, MI

Barrios, Carlos. The Book of Destiny: Unlocking the Secrets of the Ancient Mayans and the Prophecy of 2012. HarperOne: HarperCollins. Jul. 2009. c.368p. illus. bibliog. ISBN 978-0-06-157414-6. $23.99. PARAPSYCH
On December 12, 2012, we will enter the Mayan era of the Fifth Sun, an epoch of peace and harmony with nature. In this translation of Kam Wuj: El Libro del Destino (2000), Barrios, an anthropologist and Mayan shaman, reveals how Mayan elders have retained their sacred knowledge of prophecy based on intricate mathematics and astronomy. Included is a Mayan-style astrological ephemeris to the 20 life paths based on birth date with destiny profiles.
Verdict Fans of the occult and New Age books will delight in how Barrios connects the Mayan dots to the Pleiades; ancient Egyptian, Greek, Polynesian, and Celtic cultures; space/time travelers; pyramids; crystal skulls; and the lost continent of Atlantis, leaving little doubt that the end of the Mayan calendar portends big changes for the planet. Get ready!—Janet Tapper, Western States Chiropractic Coll. Lib., Portland, OR

Kelly, Timothy A. Healing the Broken Mind: Transforming America's Failed Mental Health System. New York Univ. Aug. 2009. c.208p. index. ISBN 978-0-8147-4812-1. $25.95. PSYCH
Over the last 50 years, many state mental hospitals have been disbanded, relegating psychiatric patients to city streets and prisons in the absence of a strong community mental health system. The revolving-door hospitalization of acute cases relies too much on medication, too little on follow-up and family involvement, argues Kelly, a former mental health commissioner in Virginia. He puts forth a sensible plan to rebuild U.S. mental health service, envisioning programs "driven by well-informed consumers demanding innovative, effective, evidence-based practices." Outcome measures, competition, and parity coverage for mental health and consumer involvement are key factors. 
Verdict Case histories and administrative vignettes enliven a businesslike presentation. This concise, authoritative, and readable book is a policy manual to admire and emulate.—E. James Lieberman, George Washington Univ. Sch. of Medicine, Washington, DC

Kushi, Michio & Alex Jack. The Cancer Prevention Diet: The Macrobiotic Approach to Preventing and Relieving Cancer. rev. ed. Griffin: St. Martin's. Jul. 2009. c.512p. index. ISBN 978-0-312-56106-2. pap. $21.99. HEALTH
The 25th anniversary edition of this classic text is divided into three sections. Part 1 is devoted to preventing cancer naturally; Part 2 is a guide to 17 types of cancers, their causes, and various dietary recommendations; and Part 3 includes macrobiotic recipes, home remedies, prayers, mediations, and visualizations. One of the more interesting chapters merges modern medicine and medical research with macrobiotics—a synthesis unheard of 25 years ago, when both sides criticized each other’s therapies.
Verdict Highly recommended for its emphasis on a macrobiotic diet as "a body of principles that can be flexibly adapted."—Maura Sostack, AHIP Virtua Memorial Hosp. Lib. of Burlington Cty., Mount Holly, NJ

Simone, Rudy. 22 Things a Woman Must Know If She Loves a Man with Asperger's Syndrome. Jessica Kingsley. Jul. 2009. c.112p. illus. ISBN 978-1-84905-803-2. pap. $15.95. PSYCH
Asperger’s syndrome (AS) is a mild form of autism that impairs the ability to communicate effectively with others. It affects men more than women and can make relationships difficult. Drawing on personal experience and interviews with individuals with the disorder and their partners, Simone highlights 22 challenges of being in a relationship with someone who has Asperger’s, leavening each potential problem with a concluding "positive note." Her chapter headings include "There Will Be Loneliness," "There Will Probably Be No Public Displays of Affection," and "There Will Be Shock." 
Verdict A specialized book that will bring solace and encouragement to women in relationships with AS men.—Mary E. Jones, Los Angeles P.L.

Stone, Michael H. The Anatomy of Evil. Prometheus. Jul. 2009. c.384p. photogs. index. ISBN 978-1-59102-726-3. $26.98.
Taylor, Kathleen. Cruelty: Human Evil and the Human Brain. Oxford Univ. 2009. c.360p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 978-0-19-955262-7. $34.95. PSYCH
The criminal mind has always fascinated; in Cruelty, neuroscientist Taylor (Brainwashing) explores its scientific foundations with a technical analysis into why some humans act the way they do. While thorough, Taylor fails to provide sufficient anecdotal illustrations of her theories, relying heavily on the Nazis as the sole example of cruelty. In contrast, psychiatrist Stone (Personality Disorders) provides an etymology of evil with case studies of over 600 violent criminals, giving readers a comprehensive picture of the nature and varieties of human evil. Both authors agree that no human is simply born evil; evil acts stem from nature and nurture and include both sociological and cultural elements.
Verdict These titles complement each other well and will be useful to those seeking the neurological and psychiatric reasons people commit "evil" crimes.—Melissa Mallon, Univ. of Pittsburgh Johnstown Lib., PA

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