YOU COULD BE HOME BY NOW

YOU COULD BE HOME BY NOW by Tracy Manaster | Kirkus HomeMagazineNewsletterEmail Newsletter Your AccountReviews / AssignmentsAuthor DashboardEditorial DashboardIndie Author DashboardYour Pro Page Pro InboxYour Book ListManage SubscriptionsChange PasswordLog outLog inSearch termSearch scopeAllReviewsInterviewsAuthorsListsPublishersPro ConnectLATEST ISSUE OFKirkus ReviewsFeaturing the best 100 nonfiction and best 50 teen books of 2014.Book Reviews Just Awarded the KIRKUS STAR CATEGORIESBiography & MemoirBusiness & EconomicsChildren's and TeenCurrent AffairsEntertainment & SportsEssays & AnthologiesFiction & LiteratureFood & CookingGraphic Novels & Comic BooksHealth & MedicineHistoryIndieiPad Book AppsMystery & CrimeNature & TravelPsychologyReligionRomanceScience & TechnologyScience Fiction & FantasySocial SciencesThrillersTrue CrimeBEST BOOKSKirkus Stars & RecommendationsBEST OF 2014FictionNonfictionChildren'sTeenIndieBook AppsFEATURED REVIEWSHot ListsVintage ReviewsBest of 2014FICTIONBy CategoryFull ListFeatured AuthorsCHILDREN'SBy CategoryFull ListFeatured Authors & IllustratorsNONFICTIONBy CategoryFull ListFeatured AuthorsTEENBy CategoryFull ListFeatured AuthorsINDIEBy CategoryFull ListFeatured AuthorsBOOK APPSFull ListBestsellersAuthors Featured Author J.C. CARLESON CATEGORIESChildren's Authors & IllustratorsFiction Authors Nonfiction Authors Young Adult Authors Bestselling Author Success StoriesTOP AUTHORSLatest InterviewsBestselling AuthorsKirkus Reviews Cover StoriesAre you an author?Get Your Book ReviewedGet Your Book EditedPromote Your ReviewKirkus TV Coming Soon Beth Macyauthor of FACTORY MANDecember 9, 2014AUTHOR INTERVIEWSShow ScheduleRecent InterviewsBROWSE VIDEOSAllFictionNonfictionLatest InterviewAndrew Smithauthor of GRASSHOPPER JUNGLEBlogs Latest From BOOKSHELVES OF DOOM CATEGORIESChildren'sMysteries/ThrillersRomanceSci-Fi/FantasyYoung AdultBLOGSSF SignalForever Young AdultThe Book SmugglersSeven Impossible Things Before BreakfastBookshelves of DoomThe Rap SheetBobbi Dumas: Read-A-RomanceATFMBAndrew Liptak Contests The Kirkus Prize Recently Nominated GENERAL INFORMATIONRules & Selection Process2014 Judges2014 Awards CeremonyFAQPress Room2014 WINNERS & FINALISTSFictionNonfictionYoung Readers' Literature2015 NOMINEESFictionNonfictionYoung Readers' LiteratureABOUT THE KIRKUS PRIZEThe Kirkus Prize is one of the richest literary awards in the world, with a prize of $50,000 bestowed annually to authors of fiction, nonfiction and young readers’ literature. It was created to celebrate the 81 years of discerning, thoughtful criticism Kirkus Reviews has contributed to both the publishing industry and readers at large. Books that earned the Kirkus Star with publication dates between November 1, 2014, and October 31, 2015, are automatically nominated for the 2015 Kirkus Prize, and the winners will be selected on October 23, 2015, by an esteemed panel composed of nationally respected writers and highly regarded booksellers, librarians and Kirkus critics.Pro Connect This Week's AUTHOR TO WATCH ALBERT FLYNN DESILVER
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KIRKUS REVIEW

Thesetting is the only thing sleepy about Manaster’s debut.

Complex,interweaving stories tangle?inside The Commons, a retirement communityoutside Tucson, Arizona, where Mona Rosko is caught raising her grandson, whichis against the rules. The neighbors maintain a tenuous, casserole-bringingcivility while they assess Mona’s situation, but her plight quickly becomes aprop for their personal dramas when the story goes viral online. Ben Thales hijacksa news segment about Mona to advocate for missing children after years ofsearching in vain for his runaway daughter. Lily Birnam, a teenage bloggerwhose vitriolic fashion reviews have earned her a visit to her grandmother'sretirement home, where she can't access her electronic devices, rallies herreaders to sympathize with Mona whenever she can sneak a moment on hergrandmother's computer. As Mona’s fate hangs in the balance, her neighbors alsostruggle to keep up appearances. Distinct personalities create lastingimpressions as each character tells his or her version of the same events,resulting in fully formed, compelling characters whose perspectives change overtime.?Bratty Lily misses her best friend at home, but she’s starting tosee the cracks in their relationship when Sierra gets a new boyfriend. CreepyBen enjoys flirting with Lily’s grandmother Sadie but shows his vulnerable sidewhen his ex-wife comes to visit. The two new employees, Seth and Alison Collier,are only pretending to fit in to escape their grief after their baby dies.Alison copes with healthy pursuits like running but is hiding a secret. Seth isunhinged, railing against his friends who post pictures of their healthy babieson Facebook. Readers may need to reread entire passages to believe their eyesbecause the characters’ reactions are so startlingly candid and over-the-top.

?Ascintillating drama that’s touching, funny and impossible to put down.

Pub Date:?Dec. 5th, 2014ISBN:?978-1-4405-8312-4Page count:?288ppPublisher:?Tyrus BooksReview Posted Online: Oct.?23rd,?2014Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov.?1st,?2014



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Major Storm Could Snarl Holiday Travel in U.S.

Wednesday will be the busiest travel day of the year in the United States, and it could be a rough one for millions of people.

A major winter storm called a nor'easter is forecast to hit the Eastern seaboard from Maine to North Carolina -- the day Americans hit the roads, rails and skies for Thursday's Thanksgiving holiday.

Meteorologists said coastal regions could expect heavy rain and high winds, while some areas to the west could see as much as 40 centimeters (15 inches) of snow.

A man walks with a gas can along Como Park Boulevard in Lancaster, New York, as he looks at a minivan go by with snow on its roof on Nov. 20, 2014. /AP

Large cities including Boston, New York and Philadelphia will feel the impact.

Travelers are warned to get an early start and to expect delays at airports.

Conditions are expected to be much better for Thanksgiving Day, when families gather to enjoy turkey dinners, football and parades.

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Ingredient in Liquid Handwash Could Trigger Cancer

Researchers from the University of California recently found that a common ingredient in many liquid hand soaps, shampoos and even toothpastes can trigger liver cancer. The ingredient researchers are worried about is called triclosan.

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, triclosan is classified as "an antibacterial agent added to products to reduce or prevent bacterial contamination."

Researchers found that mice exposed to the chemical for six months, equivalent to about 18 human years, became more susceptible to liver tumors than the control group. Others say triclosan becomes even more harmful when combined with other compounds.

The FDA says it doesn't have enough evidence to recommend an end to the use of triclosan in consumer products. The U.S. state of Minnesota, however, is currently looking into legislation that would ban products containing the chemical.

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A Whole Lot Of Roseanne Could Be Coming Your Way

Roseanne Barr is working on another TV comeback, this time with a big NBC deal.

According to Deadline, Roseanne and NBC are near a deal for a new sitcom that would receive a straight-to-series 10 episode order with the popular 10/90 model. The deal, which is similar to what FX gave Charlie Sheen for "Anger Management," allows the network to test out the sitcom with the first 10 episodes. Should they prove a hit, 90 more will be ordered through a syndication deal.

Roseanne's latest comeback attempt is a collaboration with "Nurse Jackie" co-creator Linda Wallem, The Hollywood Reporter also reported. Roseanne previously attempted a sitcom comeback co-starring opposite John Goodman in the "Downwardly Mobile" pilot for the 2012-2013 TV season.

FX recently ordered two sitcoms, one with George Lopez headlining and the other with Martin Lawrence and Kelsey Grammer, following the 10/90 model.

Sheen's sitcom on FX started off strong in the ratings. The series premiere had more than 5 million viewers. Now in its second season, some "Anger Management" episodes have fallen below 1 million viewers.

Click over to Deadline for more on the Roseanne/NBC deal.

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In the gritty world of the NYPD, no one’s tougher than Det. Robert Ironside (Blair Underwood, “The Event,” “In Treatment”). He’s a fearless cop who won’t stop until the guilty are brought to justice. He and his trusted, handpicked team of specialists ? Virgil (Pablo Schreiber, “The Wire” “Lights Out”), Holly (Spencer Grammer, “Greek,” “As the World Turns”) and Teddy (Neal Bledsoe, “Smash,” “Ugly Betty”), as well as his former partner Gary (Brent Sexton, “The Killing”) and boss, Det. Ed Rollins (Kenneth Choi, “Sons of Anarchy”) ? will do whatever it takes to solve New York’s most difficult and notorious crimes. As a detective, Ironside’s instincts are second to none, and those around him have to stay on their toes if they want to keep up because when his spine was shattered by a bullet two years ago, Ironside swore he’d never let a wheelchair slow him down.

Look who’s making the news again. One of New York’s most beloved news anchors, Mike Henry (Michael J. Fox, “Spin City,” “Family Ties”), put his career on hold to spend more time with his family and focus on his health after he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. But five years later, with the kids busy growing up and Mike growing restless, it just might be time for him to get back to work. Having never wanted Mike to leave in the first place, his old boss Harris Green (Wendell Pierce, “The Wire,” “Treme”) jumped at the chance to get him back on TV. The trick, as it’s always been, was to make Mike think it was his idea. Now the plan is in motion and Mike will be back to juggling home, family, and career ? just like the old days, but only better.

Sean (Sean P. Hayes, “Will & Grace”) is a divorced gay dad who juggles a lot ? his successful but demanding career, offbeat employees, pushy mom Lorna (Linda Lavin, “Alice”) and weekends with his teenage daughter, Ellie (Sami Isler). So when she moves in full-time, it’s a whole new world. Never one to do anything halfway, Sean’s intent on being the best dad ever, so he loads up on parenting how-to books and plans Pinterest-worthy family dinners. But it seems his company’s new owner has decided Sean and his team should work longer hours, putting a damper on his homemaking plans and throwing a kink in Sean’s perfectly constructed work/life balance. Ellie sees this development as a plus. She loves her dad, but he’s clearly going overboard. From keeping his boss happy, employees motivated and enduring his mother’s tactless “advice” to raising a smart, grounded and healthy kid, it’s going to be a growing experience, to say the least. But if anyone can handle it all, it’s Sean. Thomas Lennon (“Reno 911”), Lindsay Sloane (“Weeds”) and Echo Kellum (“Ben and Kate”) also star.

For decades, ex-government agent Raymond “Red” Reddington (James Spader, “The Office,” “Boston Legal”) has been one of the FBI’s Most Wanted fugitives. Brokering shadowy deals for criminals across the globe, Red was known by many as “The Concierge of Crime.” Now, he’s mysteriously surrendered to the FBI with an explosive offer: He will help catch a long-thought-dead terrorist, Ranko Zamani, under the condition that he speaks only to Elizabeth “Liz” Keen (Megan Boone, “Law & Order: Los Angeles”), an FBI profiler fresh out of Quantico. For Liz, it’s going to be one hell of a first day on the job. What follows is a twisting series of events as the race to stop a terrorist begins. What are Red’s true intentions? Why has he chosen Liz, a woman with whom he seemingly has no connection? Does Liz have secrets of her own? Zamani is only the first of many on a list that Red has compiled over the years: a “blacklist” of politicians, mobsters, spies and international terrorists. He will help catch them all… with the caveat that Liz continues to work as his partner. Red will teach Liz to think like a criminal and “see the bigger picture”… whether she wants to or not. “The Blacklist” also stars are Diego Klattenhoff (“Homeland”), Harry Lennix (“Man of Steel”), Ryan Eggold (“90210”) and Ilfenesh Hadera (“Da Brick”).

Golden Globe winner Jonathan Rhys Meyers (“The Tudors”) stars in this provocative new drama as one of the world’s most iconic characters. It’s the late 19th century and the mysterious Dracula (Rhys Meyers) has arrived in London, posing as an American entrepreneur who wants to bring modern science to Victorian society. He’s especially interested in the new technology of electricity, which promises to brighten the night ? useful for someone who avoids the sun. But he has another reason for his travels: He hopes to take revenge on those who cursed him with immortality centuries earlier. Everything seems to be going according to plan… until he becomes infatuated with a woman who appears to be a reincarnation of his dead wife. Victoria Smurfit (“About a Boy”), Thomas Kretschmann (“King Kong”), Jessica De Gouw (“Arrow”), Oliver Jackson-Cohen (“Mr. Selfridge”), Nonso Anozie (“Game of Thrones”) and Katie McGrath (“Merlin”) also star.

Parents Dan Yoder (Mike O’Malley, “Glee,” “My Name Is Earl”) and wife Karina (Mary McCormack, “In Plain Sight,” “The West Wing”) find out on the day their daughter Molly (Ella Rae Peck (“Deception,” “Gossip Girl”) is graduating from high school with an acceptance to college, she announces she pregnant. Across town in East L.A., Junior Hernandez (Joseph Haro, “Glee,” “Awkward”), in the middle of his high school valedictorian speech, gets a text from girlfriend Molly that he’s going to be a daddy. Expectedly, Junior’s parents Miguel (Ricardo Chavira, “Desperate Housewives”) and Lisette (Justina Machado, “Six Feet Under,” “ER”) are also upset, as they now have Caucasians in the family. What follows is a crash course in culture blending as Molly and Junior decide they want to get married and, in doing so, bring together two very different families. The dads have the most difficult time reconciling while the moms take a softer approach to get to know one another. When the parents fully realize that their kids are serious about making a life together, the adults exhale and begin to come to terms with this new blended family and start to understand it will take, humor, love and tolerance to make it all work.

When confident slacker Danny Beeman (Chris D’Elia, “Whitney,” “Glory Daze”) takes Justin (comedian Brent Morin) on as a roommate, Danny unwittingly inherits Justin’s group of romantically challenged friends. Seeing himself as the ultimate player, Danny decides to teach the crew (who he dubs “The Undateables”) everything he knows about “the game of love.” For their first lesson, Danny takes the guys to an event hosted by his sister, Leslie (Bianca Kajlich, “Rules of Engagement”), who is a single mom with dating difficulties of her own. At first, Danny’s advice seems to pay off big-time: The shy guy talks to a girl, the no-filter dude learns it’s never OK to ask a woman when she’s due, and his nebbish roommate, Justin, goes home with a mystery woman. It’s not until the next day that they figure out it was Leslie. Here’s a refreshing comedy about the “do’s,” “don’ts” and “duhs” of dating.

It’s field trip day for the students of Ballard High School, a place that educates the children of Washington, D.C.’s elite, top-of-their-industry CEOs, international diplomats, political power players and even the president’s son. But when their bus is ambushed on a secluded rural road, the teenagers and their chaperones are taken, igniting a national crisis. Now with some of the country’s most powerful parents at the mercy of one vengeful mastermind, the question arises: How far would you go and what would you become to ensure your child’s safe return? With so many parents and dignitaries put into play with nowhere to turn and no one to trust, this unthinkable scenario grows from the select families at risk to an entire nation at stake.

Levitation, telekinesis, the ability to control nature and even predict the future… Since she was 2 years old, Bo (Johnny Sequoyah) has had gifts she could neither fully understand, nor control. Raised by a small group known as the “True Believers,” the orphaned girl has been safeguarded from harmful outsiders who would use her forces for personal gain. But now that she is 10, her powers have become stronger and the threat has grown more dangerous. With her life and future now in jeopardy, the “Believers” turn to the only person they see fit to be her full-time protector. That is, once they break him out of jail. Tate (Jake McLaughlin), a wrongfully imprisoned death row inmate who’s lost his will, is initially reluctant until he witnesses one of her extraordinary abilities. Bo sees people for who they truly are… and who they may become. Tate and Bo begin their journey, one in which trust must be earned. Traveling from city to city, every place they stop and everyone they meet will be changed forever. But they’ll have to keep going to stay one step ahead of the sinister forces after Bo’s power… because it will take a miracle to keep them safe forever. “Believe” also stars Delroy Lindo and Kyle MacLachlan.

It’s not every family that’s brought closer together by divorce, but then again, the Fishers aren’t exactly typical. Take Mel Fisher (J.K. Simmons, “The Closer,” “Law & Order”), for example. Whether it’s chopping down trees, showing his daughter how to drive or playing football with his son, he’s never let the fact that he’s blind slow him down. Then there’s Joyce Fisher (Parker Posey, “Louie,” “For Your Consideration”), possibly the only mom in Pasadena to smoke a pipe. For her, divorce is like a second coming of age, a chance to be the teen she never was. Just ask ‘80s-obsessed teenage daughter Katie (Ava Deluca-Verley, “Southland”), whose clothes Joyce is always borrowing. At the center of all this is Henry (Eli Baker), the Fisher’s 11-year old son. Having always been his dad’s eyes, ears and wingman, Henry’s less than thrilled when Mel shows up with Elvis, a guide dog… which is also how Henry learns about the pending divorce. While reluctant to the changes this dog would bring, it’s through the adult Henry’s voice-over (Jason Bateman, “Arrested Development”) that we find out his parent’s split would “allow all of us to finally discover who we needed to be.”

Based on the best-selling Nick Hornby (“High Fidelity,” “An Education”) novel, writer Jason Katims (“Friday Night Lights,” “Parenthood”) and director Jon Favreau (“Iron Man,” “Revolution”) present a different kind of coming-of-age story. Will Freeman (David Walton, “Bent,” “Perfect Couples”) lives a charmed existence as the ultimate man-child. After writing a hit song, he was granted a life of free time, free love and freedom from financial woes. He’s single, unemployed and loving it. So imagine his surprise when Fiona (Minnie Driver, “Good Will Hunting,” “Barney’s Version”), a needy single mom and her oddly charming 11-year-old son, Marcus (Benjamin Stockham, “1600 Penn”), move in next door and disrupt his perfect world. When Marcus begins dropping by his home unannounced, Will’s not so sure about being a kid’s new best friend, until, of course, Will discovers that women find single dads irresistible. That changes everything and a deal is struck: Marcus will pretend to be Will’s son and, in return, Marcus is allowed to chill at Will’s house. Before he realizes it, Will starts to enjoy the visits and even finds himself looking out for the kid. In fact, this newfound friendship may very well teach him a thing or two that he never imagined possible ? about himself and caring for others.

District 21 of the Chicago Police Department is made up of two distinctly different groups: The uniformed cops who patrol the beat and deal with street crimes, and the intelligence unit, the team that combats the city’s major offenses, such as organized crime, drug trafficking and high-profile murders. Leading the intelligence team is Sgt. Hank Voight (Jason Beghe), a man not against skirting the law in the pursuit of justice. Demanding and tough, only those who can take the heat survive under Voight’s command. Take Det. Antonio Dawson (Jon Seda), for example. Despite a troubled history with his boss, Dawson has ambitions of running the unit. If that means facing off against Voight every day, he’ll persevere. From the street cops with dreams of moving up to the elite crew who are already in, “life on the job” is a daily challenge.

Welcome to the night shift, where every day is a fight between the heroic efforts of saving lives and the hard truths of running a hospital. At San Antonio Memorial, the men and women who work the wee hours are a special breed, particularly adrenaline junkie T.C. Callahan (Eoin Macken, “Merlin”). After a grueling tour of duty in the Middle East, T.C. is about to learn that his toughest battles will be fought right at home. He and his irreverent team of late-night docs, including Topher (Ken Leung, “Lost”) and Drew (Brendan Fehr, “Roswell”), know how to let off steam with the casual prank or two, but when lives are at stake they are all business. Unfortunately, the night shift is now under new management and boss Michael Ragosa (Freddy Rodriguez, “Six Feet Under”) is more interested in cutting costs than helping people. But T.C. has never met a rule he couldn’t break, or a person he won’t stand up to. And it’s clear that not even his ex-girlfriend (Jill Flint, “The Good Wife”) who is a doctor and now Ragosa’s second in charge, has a chance at keeping him in line. If Ragosa wants a war, he’ll get one.

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The 420 Times: Country Music Artists Could Help Legalize Marijuana, But Will They?

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Anytime someone mentions country music and marijuana, the artist that primarily comes to mind is the outspoken outlaw activist, marijuana tokin' Willie Nelson. So, what about some of Willie's country music colleagues that are willing to sing tribute to puffin' the stuff, but apparently aren't as willing to publicly support the legalization of the plant?

I think it's high time a few of this generation's marijuana consuming country music artists step up to the mike and use their celebrity to help bring an end to prohibition, but will they?

Just hearing the words "country music" may make some individuals cringe, but regardless of whether you enjoy that particular genre or find it absolutely dreadful it is still the most popular category of music in America. Really? Yes, really. I know, right? Its popularity is actually up one percentile from 2012 totaling out at 28 percent of all Americans that were surveyed for 2013.

With those numbers having been revealed, hopefully you can see how important of a role the country music artists that believe marijuana should be legal to consume for adults could actually play in the fight to bring change to our government's antiquated drug policy.

Today's generation of country artists that fit the "outlaw" label such as Jamey Johnson, Dierks Bentley, Eric Church, Randy Houser and the Zac Brown Band, just to name a few, seemingly aren't fearful of singing lyrics that pay reverence to tokin' the reefer, we just need them to come out from behind the woodshed and help spread the word that you can in fact consume marijuana and still be a successful contributing member of society.

I may be seriously mistaken in assuming that the artist's I've mentioned are paying homage to da kind bud in some of their songs. And maybe that's because not all of the country artist's that are singing about weed make it blatantly obvious, but I'm pretty sure the "stash" that Eric Church is digging "down deep" to find in his tune "Smoke A Little Smoke" isn't a tin of his Grandpa's favorite pipe tobacco. But I could be wrong.

Maybe Jamey Johnson's talking about a particularly productive harvest of tomatoes when he sings "just over the hill, you'll see all these plants that's been paying my bills" in his song "Can't Cash My Checks." Mm, I like tomatoes. Three bucks a pound at the farmer's market can add up quickly. When times get tough, sell tomatoes! Right, Jamey?

And I guess it's possible that Randy Houser is referring to cigarettes dipped in embalming fluid when he sings "I've been known to giggle on a joke, mostly when I'm smokin' on my smoke" in his tune "They Call Me Cadillac." Be careful okay, Randy, because that's a surefire way to kill brain cells, plus the whole risking your life thing, it's just not good son.

Not to mention that the Zac Brown Band could have easily meant a nice spicy burrito when they refer to rolling a "big fat one" in their song "Toes," but I think it's safe to assume that "the smoke" that Dierks Bentley and his cohorts want you to let "roll over your lips" from his song "Tip It On Back" isn't lofting from the spare ribs cooking up on the barbeque grill. Nope, these artists are singing about dope, and unless they are card holding residents from a state that permits medical marijuana usage, they themselves are truly "outlaws" that unconsciously support the black market.

I am personally not a fan of country music, so I can't attest as to whether the alleged marijuana consuming country artist's in question use their performances as an opportunity to preach to their fans about legalizing marijuana. But in my personal history as an activist, Willie Nelson is the only country artist that I can verifiably proclaim has publicly advocated for the reform of our nations marijuana laws.

Maybe Willie's age and the fact that he's been arrested so many times, which theoretically means he has a lot less to lose in comparison to his younger crooning-cronies, keeps others from coming out of hiding and accepting the proverbial torch from the apparent sole-supporter of marijuana legalization in country music.

Are the country artist's that are so eager to sing to their fans about using marijuana truly concerned about losing their fan base if they publicly support ending prohibition, or are they worried they will end up a with a huge pot leaf style target on their tour buses like the one that is apparently been stamped on Willie's bus?

Either way it seems as if ol' Willie may have to keep carrying the activism torch all by his lonesome unless a few of the marijuana consuming country artists of today can muster up the courage to join him in the fight to bring justice to such an unjust federal drug policy.

I understand the risk factor of publicly advocating for the legalization of marijuana, it's colossal! But just imagine if we were able to get all of the celebrity types that are evident enjoyers of this unwarrantedly illegal plant to publicly endorse efforts to end its prohibition we would be a hell of a lot further along the road to global victory.

So I'm calling out to all those celebrity lovers of the sweet leaf, bring the bong out from behind the guesthouse and help Willie out, he's getting' tired, damn it! Hang in there, Willie! You may have to keep touring for a few more decades at this rate.

Follow The 420 Times on Twitter: www.twitter.com/The420Times

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