Rugby Sequel

Stand Off by Andrew Smith

A couple of years ago, I read Winger by the same author. This picks up where that book leaves off. It's Ryan Dean's senior year at Pine Mountain, and he is forced to room with a twelve year old freshman. He hates it. He is still dating Annie, and still plays rugby, although this year he is not a winger, but a stand off, and the captain of the team.

Ryan Dean's biggest problem is that he never "got over" Joey's death. Not that anyone expects that really, but he never sought help coping with it, and now suffers from severe anxiety attacks in his sleep.

Over the course of this book, Ryan Dean comes to terms with his life, and finds a way to deal with things. This was every bit as enjoyable as its predecessor.

Creepy Third Part

Catacomb by Madeleine Roux

This is the third full installment of the trilogy that started with Asylum. In this one, Dan, Abby, and Jordan are headed to New Orleans because Jordan is moving there with his uncle. On the way, Abby is working on a photo essay that involves some nefarious characters, and the trio discovers that they are being followed.

Once they get to New Orleans, they find out more about Dan's bilogical parents, as well as how they died. Dan actually gets mixed up with the people responsible for their deaths, and harm comes to him.

While not as creepy as the first book in the trilogy, this one does have a lot to offer in the spooky department. It also ties things up nicely, so I doubt that there will be other books in the series, though I wouldn't be disappointed if there are.

Family Secrets

Never Come Back by David Bell

Once again, this author has impressed me. In this one, Elizabeth, a grad student, is called to her mother's house because her mother has died. As it turns out, her mother has been murdered, and the police think her brother, Ronnie, who has Down Syndrome, committed the murder. Luckily, Elizabeth has her uncle, Paul, and sometimes boyfriend, Dan, to help her through her troubles.

Things start to get weird for Elizabeth too. Her apartment is broken into, and the police don't want to believe that it is related to her mother's murder. She finds out she has a sister from her mother's unknown previous marriage, and that woman's father has come to Elizabeth asking for money. Not to mention Ronnie confesses to the murder and tries to kill himself.

So much goes on, and you just want to find out who murdered Elizabeth's mother.