The Black Box: a Novel

Michael Connelly
Michael Connelly was called “today’s Dostoevsky of crime literature” in Publishers Weekly He books are consistently on the New York Times Best Sellers List and he has won every major mystery writing award. He was in Traverse City in November 2012 to speak at the National Writers Series. ...

Review by Larry F. »

You've Got to Read This Book!: 55 People Tell the Story of the Book That Changed Their Life

Jack Canfield
Not that I need more books to read but..... You've *Got* to Read This Book! has added a number to my "to read" list. Jack Canfield of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series with Gay Hendricks and Carol Kline asked authors, actors, sports figures, and more, "What book changed your life?" ...

Review by Katheryn C. »

The World of a Few Minutes Ago: Stories

Jack Driscoll
This Michigan Notable Book award winning title for 2013 is Driscoll’s second collection of short stories. The stories take place in Michigan with the exception of one which features a Michigan family on vacation in Maine. Throughout the book readers are introduced to a variety of colorful characters ranging from a 15 year old boy to a 77 year old...

Review by Brice B. »

Sleight of Hand: a Novel of Suspense

Phillip Margolin
As a New York Times bestseller, I would have expected nothing less from Margolin than a fantastic, edge of your seat, gripping novel. Although somewhat predictable I still thought the story was classic Margolin with twists, turns and this time illusions that help the theme throughout the book become alive. His character, private detective Dana Cutler...

Review by Betsy M. »

Last Days

Brian Evenson
Kline has recently been divested of a hand, which unluckily qualifies him to solve a murder that has taken place in a religious cult whose members willingly undergo amputations. Easily one of the most disturbing and well-written novels I've ever read. Evenson's style is dark, twisted and fast-paced. ...

Review by Amy B. »

Searching for Sugar Man

Steve Segerman
A lot has been said about this great documentary film. It’s was a huge hit at the Traverse City Film Festival and has made an international name for itself. The central figure in the film Rodriguez, is just such an total anomaly. He was discovered for his lyrical poetic and prophetic sage like wisdom. ...

Review by Aaron O. »

Lucifer

Peaking Lights
Indra Dunis and Aaron Coyes have been making and sharing pretty amazingly mixtapes for awhile now. most dealing with crepuscular nether regions of dub reggae, noise, krautrock and various world styles.They tend to rely on thriftshop electronics and various analog equipment for recording their brand of blissed out psych-pop. ...

Review by Keith S. »

Listen to the Music: Caltone's Jamaican 45's 1966-69

The tunes on this collection cover the years from 1966 to 1969, the later period of ska & through the early years of reggae and is chuck full of rare rockst ...

Review by Keith S. »

The Black Opera: a Novel of Opera, Volcanoes, and the Mind of God

Mary Gentle
The secret occult brotherhood of the King's Men don't want to destroy the world, per se. They just think the devil would do a better job at running things than God has. So to change the balance of the world, they are going to write an opera so powerful that the very foundations of the earth are altered. ...

Review by Amy B. »

The Name of the Wind: the Kingkiller Chronicle Day One

Pat (Patrick J) Rothfuss
What to be said about this book? I came across it accidentally online in a blog. Yes, there is almost always someone who will save something good about a book but I decided to take a chance. ...

Review by Christopher S. »