Issue date: 11/4/09 Section: Features

The State Hornet Features staff picked and wrote about their favorite books. Here are their choices:

i, Lucifer
By Katrina Tupper

Glen Duncan's novel, "I, Lucifer," takes a stab at the original biblical story. Duncan successfully holds the attention of the reader with his first-person perspective through a witty and narcissistic Lucifer, the devil.

Originally, this book interested me because it is meant to educate the reader about Lucifer's side of the biblical story and his infamous fall from faith.

The plot of the novel revolves around Lucifer's second chance at human life. If he manages to live a mildly well-behaved life, then God will give him re-entry to Heaven. He may have finally gotten an opportunity from the man upstairs, but of course there are many lapses in judgment, each of which is humorous. His new life experiences in the body of Declan Gunn in New York City are childlike and highly entertaining.

Katrian Tupper can be reached at ktupper@statehornet.com

The Pact
By Jennifer Siopongco

Jodi Picoult's bestseller, "The Pact," deals with a trial that will keep readers crying throughout the novel.

The book's storyline revolves around two teenagers, Chris Harte and Emily Gold, who are in a relationship. Chris and Emily are neighbors whose parents are close, but their parents' lives and Chris' life is soon affected by Emily's death. Emily dies from a mysterious bullet wound to the head. Readers may find themselves torn on what to believe regarding Emily's death.

Chris fights to prove his innocence, but the only person who knows the truth is Emily.

This novel is more than your typical love story. Picoult has a way to draw her readers in by putting a dab of mystery in each chapter. Readers won't be able to put the book down until they find who really killed Emily.

Jennifer Siopongco can be reached at jsiopongco@statehornet.com


The Time Traveler's Wife
By Amber Wertman

Set in Chicago between 1971 and 2053, "The Time Traveler's Wife" by Audrey Niffenegger tells the perplexing story of Henry DeTamble, a librarian who has a rare genetic disorder that causes him to involuntarily travel through time.

During Henry's time traveling, he meets and falls in love with Clare Abshire. Clare, an artist, meets Henry for the first time as a little girl when she discovers him naked in a field near her house. Henry has to time travel naked, so when he appears in a different place and time, he is forced into uncanny situations.

This story follows Henry as he hopelessly tries to hold onto the only unchanging thing in his life - the unbinding love he and Clare have for each other. Not even time can tear their relationship apart in this passionate love story.

Amber Wertman can be reached at awertman@statehornet.com


The Book of the Dead
By Cole Mayer

"The Book of the Dead," by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, is a thriller novel with a bit of supernatural.

The central character, FBI Special Agent Aloysius Pendergast, is in a maximum-security prison for crimes his twin brother committed and then framed him for at the start of the novel. In order to solve the mystery of why staff of the New York Museum of Natural History are dying where a new exhibit about the tomb of a pharaoh's adviser is being rebuilt, Lt. Vincent D'Agosta of the New York Police Department hatches a plan to break Pendergast out of prison.

This book is filled with intrigue, action and suspense, with characters in a race to figure out what is causing the deaths and what Diogenes is planning.

Cole Mayer can be reached at cmayer@statehornet.com


The Shack
By Vanessa Garibaldi

Published in 2007, "The Shack," by William P. Young was originally written for his children so that they could see a picture of his past life. Young, who uses the name Mack as an pseudonym, is the main character. He takes the reader through an adventure involving a horrific tragedy and a mysterious note.

Mack finds a note in his mailbox and then stumbles through mud only to find himself in a shack. In the shack, Mack discovers metaphoric life perspectives through his encounters with God and the spirit. He sees God differently by the way she sings songs and cooks. From then on, Mack sees his life differently.

"The Shack" gives readers an opportunity to see life and love through the eyes of a human, the spirit and God.

Vanessa Garibaldi can be reached at vgaribaldi@statehornet.com



A Summer Affair
By Miranda Marsalla

Elin Hilderbrand's, "A Summer Affair," tells an exquisite story of passion, romance and hardship. The protagonist, Claire Danner Crispin, struggles to be the perfect mother, wife and artist as she attempts to conceal an illicit love affair. Claire is overwhelmed when she agrees to co-chair the Nantucket's Children Summer Gala and unexpectedly falls in love with the charity's executive director, Lockhart Dixon.

Each page in this novel is filled with the suspense of Claire's journey to find her inner strength. Hilderbrand captures the essence of a modern woman and her struggle to adapt with social pressures beautifully. Claire has to face the challenges of caring for her husband and four children while sustaining her successful career and new found love.

Miranda Marsalla can be reached at mmarsalla@statehornet.com

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