Hell is for children

My most recent read was THE TENTH CIRCLE by Jodi Picoult (Atria Books, c2006, ISBN 0-7434-9670-1), my favorite read so far this year!

The family Stone, including 14-year-old Trixie, father Daniel and mother Laura, are each fighting their own versions of Hell throughout the story, set in corresponding Bethel, Maine and Bethel, Alaska.

First sentence:

This is how it feels when you realize your child is missing: The pit of your stomach freezes fast, while your legs go to jelly.

I've had many library patrons ask me why this has been my favorite read this year and I've not been able to nail down a specific answer. Could it be the graphic novel that is written within the novel? Is it the theme of Dante's Inferno, a story I've never read but always desired to? Could it be the engrossing plot? Or maybe it was just reading about the K300, the Alaskan dog race featured, because I'm a sucker for Iditarod and other dog stories.

I'm almost finished with ISOLATION WARD by Joshua Spanogle and up next is 18 SECONDSby George Shuman.(Play the game at the website!)

Then I have to go back and get caught up on the two Jodi Picoult books I haven't read yet: VANISHING ACTS and SECOND GLANCE.

So many books...I'm off to sneak a chapter at my desk!