Hey ya’ll.. I’m back with another #30Authors post 🙂 🙂 Yay!!! So, when Allison at The Book Wheel asked me to host a second #30Authors post, I was all “Sure lady- no problem!” But when I found out WHO I’d be hosting- well, jazz hands went to a-fluttering because I love, love, love, LOVE me some Jenny Milchman. I first met Jenny back in 2013 at Lemuria Books (and I have to give credit to Allison for that because she was RAVING about Cover of Snow and it intrigued me enough to go visit!) So, I met Jenny. Warm, vivacious, and a complete advocate for books AND book bloggers! Then, later on Rhiannon at Ivory Owl Reviews and I were looking for a book for #BookTalkWithRandT and enter Jenny with Ruin Falls (seriously, if you are looking for suspense-y reads for October- just go add Ruin Falls to your list. Right now. I’ll wait.) When she came back to Lemuria in 2014, I went to see Jenny again- because while she entertains, she also INSPIRES! And in her latest book, As Night Falls, I (along with others) get a mention in the acknowledgements!
(In case you can’t tell- I’m a wee bit excited to have Jenny talking about a book for #30Authors!)
What is #30Authors? Well, here is the scoop on the event straight from Allison at The Book Wheel:
#30Authors is an event started by The Book Wheel that connects readers, bloggers, and authors. In it, 30 authors review their favorite recent reads on 30 blogs in 30 days. It takes place annually during the month of September and has been met with incredible support from and success in the literary community. It has also been turned into an anthology, which is currently available on Amazon and all author proceeds go to charity. Previous #30Authors contributors include Celeste Ng, Cynthia Bond, Brian Panowich, and M.O. Walsh. To see this year’s full line-up, visit www.thebookwheelblog.com/30authors or follow along on Twitter @30Authors.
And now…. I’ll be sharing Jenny’s post about why you should be reading Lee Child’s Jack Reacher series!
Photo Credit: Provided by #30Authors
Jenny Milchman on Make Me by Lee Child
If you haven’t discovered the Reacher novels yet, let me suggest grabbing the first in the series, Killing Floor, right now. That way, by the time you finish it and the next eighteen, you’ll be just about ready to read this review of the twentieth, Make Me.
Let me preamble by saying that I don’t typically read macho, tech thrillers. I see the skill it takes to write them, I understand their genius and unique appeal—but they just never seem to grab me and hold on tight. When I picked up the first Reacher, then read what were, at that time, the remaining thirteen in the series, all in less than two breathless months, I was gobsmacked to enjoy them as much as I did, to get as much out of them.
A sense of justice.
A character to believe in.
The feeling that for the time I spent reading, all was right in the world.
Not a bad take for three or four hundred pages of book, huh?
As noted, Make Me is the twentieth Reacher novel, and many say the best one yet. Reacher is an ex-MP with no ties to anything. He travels unfettered around the country until he encounters a wrong that needs righting. There’s more to it than that, but not much more, and there doesn’t need to be. In this world, there’s plenty of call for Reacher.
He finds it this time in a town called Mother’s Rest, which Reacher enters by train, just a dusty pause along miles more of the same. The name of the town piques his curiosity, so Reacher disembarks, only to be mistaken by a woman waiting at the station for an investigator she’s supposed to work with, who’s gone missing. Reacher can’t imagine what might need investigating in a town the size of one crossroads and a couple dozen pickup trucks, but it turns out there is more to Mother’s Rest than meets the eye.
To delve into what Reacher finds would spoil one of the twistiest and most twisted thrillers I’ve read in recent years. Mr. Child explores the insider/outsider dynamic in a small town that is hiding a big secret, while delving into the horrifying potential known only to this internet age.
But the mystery of Mother’s Rest is in some ways secondary to the story here, which is, as always in the Reacher novels, one of justice, and who will be there to defend the small, the vulnerable, the ready prey.
That person is Jack Reacher, just hero enough to be someone we all wish we had in our lives—and more than enough to warrant an addiction to this series.
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About Jenny Milchman:
Jenny Milchman is the author of three critically acclaimed not-as-macho thrillers: Cover of Snow, Ruin Falls, and As Night Falls.
Find Jenny: Facebook, Twitter, Website, Amazon.
About Lee Child:
Lee Child is the author of the wildly successful Jack Reacher novels. Look for Night School (a prequel!) to be published November 7th, 2016 and for Jack Reacher to be on the big screen ( Tom Cruise will be playing him) in the movie Never Go Back ( October 21st!)
Find Lee: Facebook, Twitter, Website, Amazon.
Happy Reading and Bookishly Yours,
T @ Traveling With T
Traveling With T 
I love a great thriller, but have been disappointed with so many lately that I’ve sort of given them up. BUT – I’ve never tried Lee Child…maybe I should!
Sarah, I’d be fascinated to hear what you make of Reacher! What has disappointed you in the thrillers you’ve been reading (if I may ask)? I admit to having read some disappointments lately myself 😦
I like a good thriller as well. Finding a good thriller can be so hard, though. Maybe Lee Child is the answer 🙂 LMK if you pick up the first book in series!
I can actually hear and see you saying “jazz hands a-fluttering” and it absolutely made my day! Thank you so much for doubling up, especially with Jenny. As you know, she helped kickstart this whole event so I’m very picky where I place her 🙂
30 Authors is the best blog-a-thon I can think of–thanks to the genius of its founder and the talent it brings together. I was so thrilled to get to share my post on T with T–in the top 5 of my book blogs 4-ev-ah 🙂 Thank you, BOTH.
BLUSHING! Love you Jenny Milchman!
🙂 🙂 🙂 You are so welcome! You know that Jenny is ALWAYS welcome here!
I love a good suspense and mystery novel, they are my first loves that turned me into a late-blooming bookworm. I don’t do well with keeping interest in a long series but given that Jenny read the entire series in two months means they must be awesome! I could use a reading boost like that right now. Thanks for bringing us Lee and Jenny’s books, they are all going on my TBR!
So good to see you here, Mom’s (Victories Large & Small 🙂 I can’t wait to hear if you take to Lee’s series. Here’s the thing–I read it because I need a justice play in my life. Know what i mean? There are so many things we can’t control, or that we hear about which don’t turn out right. The stories my kids bring home from school every day! I want to weep–I want to try and help each and every one. And for the most part, I just can’t. That’s where Reacher comes in. He CAN help–and always does. So I love that. In my own books, I think the heroines feel the same sense of helplessness I often do…at first. The suspense (hopefully) comes in when they fight to get past it.
Anyway, so glad you stopped by!
I really love suspense and mystery- probably a bit more than I love women’s fiction! I can highly recommend Jenny’s last 2 books- totally worth it. I feel sure her first book is good- I just haven’t gotten a chance to read it!
It’s ironic I’m reading this post today as my brother sent me text yesterday saying he was beginning the first Jack Reacher novel! As we are a somewhat competitive bunch I told him I’d give him a head start on the series {that was yesterday} and I’d go buy the book and start it today. He reads slower than I do 😉
So I’m off to The Poisoned Pen at lunch to go buy both Lee Child’s book and Jenny’s latest book. Thanks so much T for having Jenny on your blog and thank YOU Jenny for sharing your love for thrillers. My favorite genre, always.
Oh, I bet you’ll beat your brother easy, Novel Life! Have a great time at The Poisoned Pen–if you see Barbara, Karen, or David, please give them a hug for me 🙂
So Ms. Jenny I just returned from The Poisoned Pen, actually tweeted/instagrammed the photo of the books I brought home with me. Snagged a SIGNED copy of Ruin Falls and Thomas Mullen’s Darktown. And of course I brought home the first Lee Child book. Now I can’t decide which one to start first!!! Ah, bookish problems, right! Thanks so much for the recommendations Jenny, Allison and Tamara.
Signed copy of Ruin Falls? SCORE!!!!!
lol! My brother is also a slower reader than me and I’m constantly “Did you finish the book? When can we discuss?” I have a good feeling that you will enjoy Jenny’s books!
Stacy! So nice to chat with you here. What a great afternoon–thank you for buying Ruin Falls (must personalize that for you some day)–and hmmm…I’d say start with Lee. You have to beat your brother, right? Also, Reacher will get your justice on 🙂
Let me go check Twitter for the pic! (And tell myself for the thousandth time, You really should get on Instagram. Sigh.