We review a lot of books at January Magazine. Though we try to keep an open mind and heart with each reading, we certainly don't like everything that passes through our doors. On a day-to-day basis, we share the not-so-good reviews with you as cheerfully as those of a more glowing nature. In the vast rush of reading material we present to you, we felt it would be useful to have an easy reference point of books our reviewers felt could be quite highly recommended. Here, once again, is a roundup of the books we loved over the last few months, along with links to where you'll find the associated review on January. Happy reading! | October 2006   Fiction:   A Dangerous Man by Charlie Huston Reviewed by Anthony Rainone The final installment of Huston's Hank Thompson trilogy, this sophisticated novel finds our "hero" working as a hit man for a Russian mobster, protecting a star baseball player and careening toward the inevitable pile-up of his life gone horribly wrong. The Big Boom by Domenic Stansberry Reviewed by Stephen Miller This masterful follow-up to 2004's Chasing the Dragon sends San Francisco private eye Dante ("The Pelican") Mancuso to look for the missing daughter of a wealthy developer. In the process, he finds his beloved old neighborhood endangered by real-estate pressures. The Book of Fate by Brad Meltzer Reviewed by Tony Buchsbaum Brad Meltzer's The Book of Fate is one terrific midway ride of a novel. Though it's billed as a political thriller, our reviewer opines that it's more the study of some seriously screwed-up characters. "And that's a good thing." Carry Me Down by M.J. Hyland Reviewed by Cherie Thiessen M.J. Hyland's second novel is a psychological study of disturbed adolescence that may even help shed light on some of the horrific youthful acts of violence we read about today. And it's difficult to put down. Crossover by Joel Shepherd Reviewed by Andi Shechter Crossover is an exciting story, a well-written adventure, and an impressive debut novel. In the first book of Joel Shepherd's trilogy, we meet Cassandra Kresnov, a highly developed, extremely convincing and expensive android-in-denial. Down and Dirty by Gammy L. Singer Reviewed by Cindy Chow In this second entertaining "Landlord's Tale" mystery, entrepreneurish ex-con Amos Brown tries to prove that a friend is innocent of murdering a scoundrelish pimp, while he also deals with the political fallout from the death of a powerful drug lord. Mothers & Other Monsters by Maureen F. McHugh Reviewed by Andi Shechter Though some of the stories in Mothers & Other Monsters seem almost weirdly unfinished here, the writing is pure, simple and lovely. Maureen F. McHugh is a a captivating writer. The Night Gardener by George Pelecanos Reviewed by David Thayer Drawing on the last two decades of Washington, D.C., history, Pelecanos' latest standalone is a literary tale about crack cocaine's rising popularity, the murders of young black teenagers, and a cop father's efforts to understand and protect his own son. Pound for Pound by F.X. Toole Reviewed by David Abrams Most of the world doesn't know F.X. Toole's name, but many of them might recognize his words -- the bulk of Morgan Freeman's narration in Million Dollar Baby was lifted straight from the pages of Rope Burns. The Possibility of An Island by Michel Houellebecq Reviewed by Pedro Blas Gonzalez The Possibility of an Island is a social science fiction tale of the extinction of man and the ascendance of clones. But as is the case with Houellebecq's novels, plot summation is often as illusive a proposition as it is unimportant. Pretty Little Dirty by Amanda Boyden Reviewed by Cherie Thiessen In her debut novel, Amanda Boyden delves deeply into the lives of two adolescent girls who do not weather the transition into adulthood well. The Ruins by Scott Smith Reviewed by Tony Buchsbaum More than a decade after the publication of his debut novel, A Simple Plan, Scott Smith is back with The Ruins, " a delicious and devious tale of horror," says January's reviewer. The Unfortunate Marriage of Azeb Yitades by Nega Mezlekia Reviewed by Linda L. Richards The Unfortunate Marriage of Azeb Yitades is the story of modern Ethiopia and, at the same time, the universal tale of childhood lost that we'd recognize no matter where it was set. The Vanishing Point by Mary Sharratt Reviewed by David Abrams In her latest novel, Mary Sharratt transports readers back to Colonial America, a land filled with impenetrable forests, grim foreboding and long distances between neighbors. It is the wilderness within the hearts of the characters, however, that proves to be the most dangerous. The Violin Lover by Susan Glickman Reviewed by Cherie Thiessen Unfolding over a period of three years, while Hitler drives the world ever closer to war, The Violin Lover is impacted by the atmosphere, never overpowering but definitely underlining the actions of the characters. Voices by Arnaldur Indridason Reviewed by Ali Karim The third translated work from this award-winning Icelander finds his dour series sleuth, Erlendur, hold up in a large, classy Reykjavík hotel at Christmastime, ducking his daughter's attentions while he tries to figure out who stabbed a Santa-dressed doorman. Non-Fiction Being Caribou by Karsten Heuer Reviewed by M. Wayne Cunningham The author records five months trekking behind the Porcupine caribou herd on their 27,000-year-old migratory route: a 61,500 kilometer round trip from Old Crow to the herd's calving grounds in the midst of Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The Eating Well Healthy in a Hurry Cookbook Reviewed by Cherie Thiessen Beautiful photos of vibrant meals, easy to find ingredients all put together with maximum health and ease of preparation in mind. The Healthy in a Hurry Cookbook is a tough package to beat. More Mere Mortals by Jim Leavesley Reviewed by Sue Bursztynski More Mere Mortals is a themed popular history book, in this case the history of medicine. In 40 chapters, it tells the medical stories of various famous historical figures, from Moses and Demosthenes to Noel Coward. Understanding Belize: A Historical Guide by Alan Twigg Reviewed by Cherie Thiessen In an almost startlingly honest look at Belize, author Twigg shares details travelers are unlikely to get in other books. Belize isn't for everyone, he tells us, and it's "no shame to prefer Hawaii." The Way We Eat by Peter Singer and Jim Mason Reviewed by Cherie Thiessen The Way We Eat should come with a label: "Warning, reading this book could disrupt your life." The authors hope to effect change in the way most people shop for food, and they're convincing.