Tag Archives: Ken

The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen

Posted on February 10, 2017 by bseat

Sometimes you have complicated feelings about a book. I certainly do about this Pulitzer Prize winning novel about the Vietnam War narrated by a Vietnamese communist sleeper agent. Wonderfully written, dark, evocative, satirical and suspenseful; there is much to savor … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Prize Winner, Spy/Covert Operatives, Suspense | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Bull Mountain by Brian Panowich

Posted on December 9, 2016 by bseat

Clayton Burroughs is a bit surprised when an agent from the ATF walks into his office. As sheriff of a small community in Georgia, a visit from an agent of a  federal agency was a rarity, but Clayton guessed that … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

The Unquiet Dead: A Novel by Ausma Zehanat Khan

Posted on December 2, 2016 by bseat

It shouldn’t be, but it is unusual to find a Muslim as the lead character in a book as one of the “good guys” rather than a terrorist. In the Unquiet Dead, Esa Khattak is just such a character. A second … Continue reading →

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Everyone Brave Is Forgiven by Chris Cleave

Posted on November 25, 2016 by bseat

Books about war are often peopled with characters who are unbelievably courageous or ignominious cowards right from the very beginning, cheating the reader of knowing why they became that way. In Everyone Brave is Forgiven, however, Cleave sets up a much … Continue reading →

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Dark Matter by Blake Crouch

Posted on October 21, 2016 by bseat

Have you ever wondered about the road not taken? I do! I wonder what would have happened if I had taken my speech professor’s advice and joined my college debate team. Would I have ended up where I am today … Continue reading →

Posted in Existential Sc-Fi Thriller, Fiction, Science Fiction, Suspense, Thriller | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of Family and Culture in Crisis by J.D. Vance

Posted on October 14, 2016 by bseat

J.D. Vance grew up in Middletown, Ohio and the Appalachian town of Jackson, Kentucky. Looking at just the outline of the author’s personal story:  His grandparents, “dirt poor and in love,” move to Middletown in order to escape the poverty … Continue reading →

Posted in History, memoir, Non Fiction | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Return by Michael Gruber

Posted on September 23, 2016 by bseat

What would it take to galvanize you to do what you had put off doing for most of your life? What would it take to make you think that now was the time to seek vengeance from those who inflicted … Continue reading →

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The Travelers by Chris Pavone

Posted on August 5, 2016 by bseat

Will Rhodes should be happy with his life. After all as a journalist for Travelers, an award winning travel magazine he gets to travel the world and have extraordinary experiences. But traveling isn’t all glamorous and in his personal life, … Continue reading →

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The Last Child by John Hart

Posted on July 29, 2016 by bseat

Johnny is sure that his twin sister, Alyssa is still alive. Missing for almost a year now, he still continues to search for her even as his world has crumbled around him.  First his father disappeared and Katherine Merrimon, Johnny’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Detective novel, Fiction, Literary Fiction, Mystery, Prize Winner, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

The Art of Hearing Heartbeats by Jan-Philipp Sendker

Posted on July 22, 2016 by bseat

Julia arrived in Burma determined to find her missing father. Four years ago, on the morning after her graduation from law school, Julia had been awakened by her father. He told her that he was going to Boston for a few … Continue reading →

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