Monday, December 26, 2016

Fatal by John Lescroart- Book Review

Fatal by John Lescroart is one of those books that will sell a good number of copies based on the author's name. He has an audience and a voice that his readers have come to know and love. This was my introduction to his writing and I am not sure I would read another. While the writing was ok, there were some speeches that just seemed odd, the premise was pretty strange, and I had guessed the ending due to one of the speeches in the beginning of the book.

The story is about Kate, who chooses to cheat on her husband with Peter a friend and partner of her husband Ron. Kate meets Peter in a hotel for a one shot affair. The problem is Peter begins to unwind and starts to obsess over Kate. He goes to her house, calls her, and winds up near her when she is having lunch with her best friend and homicide investigator Beth. All of a sudden a terrorist attack occurs. Yes, you read that right. This is also the first quarter of the book.

In the next section, we are a few months after the attack when Peter washes up on shore. He has been shot and dumped into the river and it is up to Beth to find out what happened to Peter. She knows that Kate had an affair with a man named Peter, is it the same Peter?
I was actually into the beginning story. I figured I was in for a a reverse fatal attraction type story. When the terrorist attack happened and the book turns into a murder mystery following, I sighed out loud. It became a slog to read through, especially since I guessed who did it from something said in the beginning of the book. It turned out I was completely right.

This leads me to the speeches. There are some strange speeches within this book. Beth does a speech about how much she loves her gun, which borders on a 2nd amendment speech. It also goes no where. There is a strange speech about the priests not liking gay and lesbian people, which doesn't pan out. Finally, there is a lesson about anorexia which just is strange as it is a side character. I know people love Lescroart, but since I was a first time reader of his, it screamed that the editor is giving him freedom to write whatever he wants even if it doesn't fit.

I wound up not enjoying this one and felt there were too many things fit into a book that we have all read before. The hard part is I know this will sell a bunch of copies and wind up on the bestseller list. I found it just ok.

I gave it 2.5 stars.

I want to thank NetGalley for an advanced copy of the book. I received it for free in exchange for an honest review.

Wednesday, December 21, 2016

Hope in the Dark by Rebecca Solnit- Book Review

I heard about this book while listening to the Book Riot podcast. They were commiserating about the election results and were looking for books to help people. This book- Hope in the Dark- came up as a book about hope in the midst of perceived darkness. I have to admit that it hit me in all the right spots.

Rebecca Solnit wrote this during the W Bush presidency after being an activist against President Bush. In the midst of her heartbreak, she started writing a series of essays on a wide variety of topics, but always centering on the idea of hope in the midst of hopelessness.

Solnit's background is in activism and she has a deep understanding of history. The way she tells stories about people standing up in seemingly overwhelming odds to help fight injustice was not only grounded in her knowledge of history, but was simply a great storytelling.

Solnit has an incredible writing style that draws the reader in. While it may seem the essays are dated, I found they were applicable to today. I was inspired to stand up in the face of hopelessness and declare there is always hope.

I gave this one 4 stars. It is well worth the read!

Here is your Amazon link- Hope in the Dark by Rebecca Solnit

Monday, December 19, 2016

Kill the Father by Sandrone Dazieri- Book Review

Kill the Father by Sandrone Dazieri was a best selling thriller in Italy that finally made its way to the US. The book is a translation of the Italian edition into English.


A murder happens on top of a hill- a woman is beheaded, her son is gone, and the father is the only suspect. Deputy Captain Colomba is brought in as the lead investigator, even though she succumbs to panic attacks and is on leave for an incident that has happened in her past. Her help is Dante Torre, an independent consultant, yet an expert in reading faces and body movements. The problem is Dante is a former victim of a kidnapper/torturer named The Father and is afraid to leave his house. It is up to these two to solve this murder that seems open and shut, except the father of the boy doesn't seem like the killing type, is The Father back? (Hint: yes he is, but that isn't a spoiler)

This book relies on the relationship between Colomba and Dante as the rag tag, psychologically hurt partners who must solve this murder. It is their back and forth that helps hold this book up, as well as the story. The story is good, but their relationship is what bumps this book up a bit more.

Both Dante and Colomba are great characters who want to do the best they can, but just have pasts that hold them back. I enjoyed Dante a bit more as he is wise cracking, yet incredibly knowledgable. He holds information back, while at the same time being incredibly blunt. The difficulty I had is how connected he is, even though he has been trapped in his house for the most part. He knows all sorts of people, who conveniently can help the case move forward, even though it might not be technically legal. For example, Colomba and Dante can go to a high class hotel because Dante helped consult on the disappearance of the owner's daughter, yet just pages before, it took Dante 40 minutes to go down his own stairs and 3 hours to drive a short distance. So, how does he know the hotel owner so well? There were quite a few of these instances of Dante's connections that seem a bit off.

There were parts of this book that seemed long and just lots of filler. The book is just over 500 pages and as a reader, I felt it. The opening flew by, but the middle just seemed to go on and on, until the great ending. To compare, Silence of the Lambs, which is pretty great mystery with a similar character as Dante in Lecter comes in at 384 pages in the Mass Market version of the book. At over 500+ pages, for this type of murder mystery, it is just too long and I felt it could have been trimmed a bit.

I gave Kill the Father 3.5 star slipping close to 4 stars. If it was a bit tighter, it could have easily been a 5 star book, but it just felt long.

Here is your Amazon link- Kill the Father by Sandrone Dozier

I received this book from NetGalley and Scribner in exchange for an honest review.

Monday, December 12, 2016

Swimming Lessons by Claire Fuller- Book Review

I had the book Swimming Lessons by Claire Fuller sitting next to me for a few months. The wonderful people at Tin House sent me an early copy and I was thrilled. I noticed though it was not going to be published until February and I would have to wait for this incredible book. I loved her first book- Our Endless Numbered Days and I couldn't wait to tear into this one, but I had to wait.

Then Book of the Month did a wonderful thing and released the book early as a selection for December! I had my excuse! I could read the book and review it now. Thanks to BoTM. I am so glad I had the excuse as this is a heartbreaking story, but Fuller did it again.

There are two stories going on throughout this book. One is the story of Flora and her sister as they go to the bedside of Gil, their father. He jumped from his balcony when he said he saw his ex-wife Ingrid. The problem is Ingrid disappeared years ago and was thought to have killed herself or some thought Gil murdered her, but no one knows the truth.

The other story is the story of Ingrid and Gil, told from Ingrid's perspective through letters she wrote to Gil about their life together and stuck in between his books. It is the story of a womanizing, famous husband who is never home and the woman who is left behind struggling to keep the family together. Stuck home with kids, as Gil does his thing. The letters build to the day Ingrid will disappear.

Each story is about broken relationships as the childish Flora has a strained relationship with her sister and her father. Even though she has heard things, she simply does not want to believe them. Ingrid and Gil's story gives light to how the sisters acted as children which helps one see why they act the way they do in the present.

There is such a feeling of stuckness too. The town seems tiny, Ingrid seems trapped, and here Flora and her sister must co-exist to care for their dying father who wasn't part of their life. They are trapped in their lives because of the man at the center of it all- Gil.

Fuller has an incredible voice and she develops characters quite well. There were bits of callbacks to letters Ingrid had written in the beginning that play out in the sisters. In some ways, they don't really grow up, at least Flora didn't. Fuller's writing voice is just right for a story like this one.

I really enjoyed this one and I thank Tin House for the early copy. The advanced copy in no way helped change my opinion of the book. I would have given this one 4.5 stars either way.

Here is a link to Book of the Month- right now you can take 30% off of 3 months and get a free tote!

Monday, December 5, 2016

Star Wars Bloodline by Claudia Grey- Book Review

I have not written about them much, yet, but I am a huge Star Wars fan and have read most of the expanded universe. I was one of the many Star Wars nerds who mourned the loss of the expanded universe books when Lucas sold the franchise to Disney. I had read all the books and would dedicate a few weeks in summer to Star Wars summer, where I would catch up on the many releases that year. I am writing this to warn you. I know what my Santa wife is handing over to me come Christmas and there will be many Star Wars titles in the stocking this year.

With all of that written, this was the first of the new expanded universe books that I really enjoyed with the other being Tarkin. Star Wars Bloodline by Claudia Grey takes place before Episode 7 The Force Awakens and answers what happened to the peaceful Republic that was left after Return of the Jedi and why is Princess Leia fighting against said Republic in the movie?

This is an incredible Princess Leia adventure where an older Leia is having some of her past catch up with her a bit. She is a powerful Senator in the Republic, where the Senate is divided. After she hears about a possible army building up, Leia seeks out what is going on and is forced to go with one of her fellow Senators to find out what is happening. This Senator happens to be on the other side of the divide.

As things play out and as friendship builds, Leia's dark secret of being Darth Vader's daughter and murderer of Jabba the Hut will come back into her life. What will happen when these two items come out?

I enjoyed this one as a fan and as a reader. While Luke and Ben do not make an appearance, Han Solo does as Leia's husband. The story gets a bit intricate at times and there was at least one instance where I rolled my eyes a bit, but it is a Star Wars book, so some plot devices become a bit convenient at times. 

Leia is a complex character in this one as she herself has to struggle with her identity both as a Senator and as the daughter of one of the most evil people of that Universe. She also struggles with being a wife to one of the most famous smugglers of all time. 

I really enjoyed this one and if you are a fan, I think you will too. I gave this one 4 stars.

Here is your Amazon link- Star Wars Bloodline by Claudia Grey

Friday, December 2, 2016

The Man in My Basement by Walter Mosley- Book Review

There are certain books that just sneak up on you and grab hold for dear life. The Man in My Basement by Walter Mosley was one of those books. To say I devoured this book would be an understatement, but I simply devoured this book. I started it on a whim in the afternoon and I resisted putting it down to go to sleep, that is how engrossing this book is.

The premise is intriguing in itself. Charles is a black man who lives in his house, which has been in his family for generations. Fired from his banking job for embezzlement, he is starting to run out of funds. He has some African masks that are worth a lot of money, but it would take years for those to sell and he needs funds now.

Anniston Bennet, a rich white man, shows up on Charles' doorstep with a proposition- boatloads of cash if Charles would allow him to live in his basement for a few months.

Charles will eventually take the deal (spoiler, but it is in the title) and as the man moves in, he realizes Anniston's furniture is a cage in which Anniston will live and Charles is to be his jailer/warden. The big question is why. That is the joy of the book.

I am going to resist spoilers since the conversations between the two men are what build this book, but the book isn't just their conversations, in fact, they have only a few conversations. The book is about who Charles is and how did he get to the place he is in, what his relationships are like, and why does he just sort of coast through life.

When I was discussing this book with my father, his initial question was- is it about race? My answer was, race has something to do with it, but it isn't front and center. This is a book about relationships and how one lives a life with elements of race thrown in. Race cannot be ignored, Charles is poor and black, while Anniston is rich and white, but to boil it to a race book would be cheating the fuller thrust of the book.

I had not read a Mosley book before and after reading this one, I am ready for more of his. This is simply a great book, but I will warn you, Charles is a womanizer and there is lots of sex in this book. I was actually a bit surprised by how much, but it has to do with Charles' character.

I gave this one 4 stars, leaning on 4.5 stars. I have not stopped thinking about this book since reading it.

Here is your Amazon link- The Man in My Basement by Walter Mosley

Monday, November 28, 2016

The Call by Peadar O Guilin- Book Review

Sometimes I am a sucker for advertising. I heard about The Call by Peadar O'Guilin advertised on several Book Riot podcasts and it sounded so interesting. Killer fairies, teens attempting to murder other teens, and a whole other variety of items, what else does one need. While it isn't going to break any literary boundaries, the book was an incredibly fun ride.

The premise was fun. In Ireland, teens are taken at random moments during their teen life. Their clothes are left and they find themselves nude in the Grey Land. A trumpet sounds and they have 3 minutes to survive the hunt from killer fairies. 

One touch and the fairies can mold skin, muscle, and bone to any shape they wish. They can be killed, but their sheer number will overwhelm you. The catch is, if you make it or if they take pity on you, a promise is given and they always keep their word. If you don't make it, you either come back dead or disfigured in some way. Vets are treated with respect and can choose how to live out their lives.

Nessa is the protagonist and she has polio. No one really expects her to survive if she is called, but she trains anyway. She has incredible upper body strength and has won a few battles. Due to this, a group called the Round Table has targeted her. Not only does she have to look out for the call, but also this group in the real world who have decided she must die.

I cannot stress how fun a read this way. It is filled with teen angst and YA tropes, but the added layer of the call is what makes this book. This is not a light book in that sense in that the fairies love to punish and torture their victims. They are not nice either. In that sense, this is a true horror book.

In other places I put a mini review, I compared the book to a horror movie like Leprechaun or something along those lines. You know the acting and graphics will be pretty bad, but it will be great escapism for a time. While the writing wasn't bad on this one, the HS stuff was pretty standard in the good girl is targeted by bullies who fit every literary bully stereotype, but who also want to kill her. Even Nessa's friends fit the HS literary stereotypes, but you know what you are getting. There is a scene that will not leave my brain after reading it, which involves horses that aren't horses. Just wait and see.

I gave this one 3.5 stars. Very creative and fun, but not fiction breaking.

Here is your Amazon link- The Call by Peadar O' Guilin

Tuesday, November 22, 2016

Book of the Month Club


“This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links”.

Hello everyone. Thank you again for reading my blog. I really do appreciate it.

I just wanted to share some deals going on with Book of the Month Club, of which I am an affiliate. I would like to share some of my favorites from the year that are available on the site.

Here are three opportunities for subscriptions:


These books were available at the time of this post:

I cannot say enough good things about this book. Scandal, secrets, and lies. It spans time as these two kids grow up to be adults. This was great!




This was one of those books that grabbed me and then blew me away! I did not see the end coming and every single person I recommended this to said the same thing. This was such a fun mystery that will keep you guessing.




This is an older selection that may just disappear, but it is still worth the read. I read the whole thing on a train because it was so engrossing. In this world, priests are also police investigators. The great thing is also no one lies because they never had a major murder. These two priest are great!



I had another site for about a month and this was the first book I blogged about on it this year. Lindy West doesn't hide anything at all. She is open about her weight, trolls on the internet, and feminism. This is a great and funny read.

Monday, November 21, 2016

Bright Air Black by David Vann- Book Review

I was introduced to the Medea story through a mythology class I took in college. Since that time, the Medea narrative has stuck with me and I always thought there should be more to her story. When I was granted access to David Vann's Bright Air Black and I saw it was a first person narrative about the Medea story, I got a little excited. When I started it, I also got excited because the writing was hypnotic and it drew me in like crazy. By the end of the book, I couldn't wait for the experience to be over, so what happened?

Rather than retell the Medea story, I would rather get right into what happened. One hundred and sixty pages of being at sea out of about a two hundred and fifty page ebook is what happened. A chapter devoted to catching fish is what happened. A few chapters devoted to an island orgy without any major payoff is what happened.

I don't want to totally slam this book as I thought overall, it was a pretty great book in certain parts. When Medea and Jason finally hit land and Medea is enslaved rather than lifted up as a hero is a pretty great scene and it has an especially evil payoff.

The writing is also really well done. It is very hypnotic and there doesn't seem to be a break. Medea is the narrator the entire time and you stick with her. There was also my personal pet peeve- no quote marks around the dialog, so knowing who is talking gets a bit confusing as there is very little talking in the first place. The writing carries the story as does the Medea story itself. We know how it will end eventually and that payoff is great.

The length of time at sea though is mind numbing. I wondered why the author chose to keep all the characters on the ocean that long, especially when he chose to start painting Medea as this powerful woman who has the crew under her control. By the time they land that power disappears completely. 

That was what was ultimately disappointing. One has a great story and a great premise to work with. The female lead is a strong lead and lots could have been done with it, but ultimately Vann just lets Medea fade.

I gave this one 3 stars.

*I would like to thank NetGalley for the ability to read this book for review. I received it for free in exchange for an honest review.

Friday, November 18, 2016

News of the World by Paulette Jiles- Book Review

This was a first for me. I recently received a subscription to Scribd as a gift. I used to be a member when it was an unlimited service, but they have since changed their pricing system to a 3 books and 1 audio out at a time system. Not wanting to waste the audio part, I have recently started listening to audio books in the car. News of the World by Paulette Jiles was my first half and half. I started the book on audio, but after not enjoying the reader's interpretation, I switched to reading the book instead.

News of the World is the story about Captain Kidd, who is a news reader. He goes into town, reads a few select articles from the newspaper to the town and leaves. He is selective about what he reads, knows the towns, and even adds a few fluff pieces to get the crowd.

One day Kidd is offered money to bring an orphaned child back to her relatives. After a Kiowa attack, Johanna is raised as a Kiowa, but is now being forced back into the white society. The journey is 400 miles long and Kidd only has a few bullets. The story is not only about the journey, but also about the relationship between the two.

The first thing to note is this is a small book. I was surprised how small and how short the book was, as it is filled with a world that is vast and seems never ending. If someone wanted to, one could read this in less than a day and still fell like he/she read a bulky book. A lot happens in these few pages.

I noted that first because it says something about the author. There isn't much filler in this book and very little dragging parts, especially for a book about a 400 mile trek. The relationship between Kidd and Johanna as Johanna starts learning English and starts coming out of her shell is really what drives this book. Kidd starts treating Johanna as his own, even in the face of mortal danger and there will be lots of danger.

I wouldn't be honest if I didn't write that the whole idea of the uncivilized Indian, who must reclaim her whiteness in order to be civilized bothered me a bit, but I also recognized it was a period piece where this was the thought. 

Overall, this is a well written, fun adventure for an afternoon. While I do question the name choice of Captain Kidd as when I listened to it on audio as I kept thinking about pirates and wondering if the protagonist was supposed to be connected to the pirate. I found the journey worth it.

I gave this one 4 stars.

Here is your Amazon link- News of the World by Paulette Jiles

Monday, November 14, 2016

The Book of Joy- Book Review

Here we are following the election and I have been busy sitting with people as they share their worries and sitting with people as they share their joy. Election season is always an interesting time for a pastor. This season, there are far more worries than in previous seasons and with good reason.

Due to the heaviness of the conversations, I have been a bit distracted with my reading and have been finding it a bit difficult to concentrate on fiction. Also due to the heaviness of conversations, I needed a book that would give a little self care. When I went to the bookstore, I saw this book sitting in the new releases and knew this was the book that I needed.

This book is a conversation between two very influential spiritual leaders in his holiness the Dali Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu about joy. The two leaders spent some time together intentionally to have this conversation and to share worship practices together. Tutu meditated and then the two shared communion together, for example.

This isn't only about joy though. This is also about a very loving relationship. These two men pick on each other endlessly as two friends would. They make fun of each other's holiness, they one up one another, and they simply love one another. If I am being honest, I got more from their friendship story than their advice about joy.

For example, on the first night, the Dali Lama sneaks up behind Tutu and pretends to choke him. As they are laughing, Tutu turns to the Dali Lama and says "Remember we are on camera now, pretend to be holy." There are all sorts of stories like this. I loved these stories and really needed them.

The only qualm I had was Douglas Abrams is the narrator in the book. At times he either repeated himself by reminding us how holy these two men were or explained a joke to the reader when it was pretty obvious and occasionally waxes poetic a bit to fill in gaps. At times it was a bit distracting, while I was talking to my book saying- get back to the good stuff! Otherwise this is an incredible book. The pictures alone are worth the price of the book. I have had the back cover turned so I could see it daily- it is the two men mid dance. It has just brought a smile to my face each time I look at it.

I gave this one 4.5 stars.

Here is your Amazon link- The Book of Joy

Wednesday, November 9, 2016

Cover Me In Darkness by Eileen Rendahl- Book Review

When I saw the cover and the description for Cover Me In Darkness by Eileen Rendahl, I was drawn in immediately.*

Amanda gets a call from a the local psychiatric ward where her mother is staying- her mother has committed suicide. Her mother is in the ward for killing Amanda's baby brother after being brainwashed by a religious cult that Amanda was a part of too.

It is now time for the cult's leader to be released from jail and that is when Amanda's mother kills herself. It turns out someone slipped her mother a sharpened comb, a picture of Amanda's brother, and news clippings of the murder. It is looking as if Amanda's mother was coerced to kill herself.

Then other things start happening, Amanda is poisoned, thrown in front of a car, and other odd things start to happen. Are these all connected to the cult?

In the meantime, there is a side story of Amanda working at her job on a product about to receive FDA approval. If approved, it will make her company rich, but the testing results seem too perfect. Is this connected too?

The premise of this book sounded incredible and it was what drew me to the book. The problem was the writing. I cannot put any quotes in my review as I received this as a galley, but the writing is very simplistic and at times have sentence fragments. I am not a grammar person by a long shot, but it was bad enough that I noticed.

Rendahl has a background in YA novels and romance novels and her writing style showed as she moved into this genre. As I was reading it, I even wondered if this was a murder mystery for a YA audience. I would not be so critical, but the writing is what really detracted from this book.

I don't enjoy panning books as I know how difficult it is to write and publish a book, but this one was not enjoyable by the end. Some of the conclusions just seemed too quick and some of the murders happen to easily. The end confrontation, for example, is about two pages long and then it is over.

Sadly, this is a 2 star for me due to the premise alone.

Here is your Amazon link- Cover Me in Darkness by Eileen Rendahl

*I received this book for review from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Monday, November 7, 2016

Still Life with Tornado by A.S. King- Book Review

First, let me thank my readers for sticking with me. I am having to teach 4 times a week, as well as work full time, so my reading has slowed a bit and much of my free time is devoted to getting the next class ready, so blogging has taken a small backseat. It will not be permanent though as one class will end in 3 weeks and it is a class taking the bulk of my time. So, thank you for sticking with my blog.

When I picked up this book, I didn't know what it was about. I half dreaded reading it because it is advertised as a YA novel and those are hit and miss with me. For example, I am reading Dumplin' which came highly recommended and I finding it pretty cliche with YA topics. Still Life with Tornado by AS King is not typical at all! In fact, it is extremely deep for an book book that wouldn't have the label YA. This is a great book and very powerful.

We walk with Sarah, who is told at age 16 that nothing in life is original by her art teacher, so she walks out of school looking for things that are real and original. She follows a homeless street artist, she goes to an abandoned school, and she just wanders the streets of Philadelphia (which is in itself a character in the book).

One might say she is having a midlife crisis, but she is only 16. As she wanders, her 10 year old self shows up and starts asking about her brother and a trip to Mexico. Chapters will be devoted to telling this story. Here 20 year old self also shows up. Her 20 year old self is sarcastic and pretty mean. She also meets her 40 year old self who is also going through a small crisis.

Throughout her journey and through her alternative selves, Sarah will learn about her life, come to know herself, and grow from her experiences. She will also learn what happened to her brother and figure out why she simply walks through life.

This is not a simple coming of age book. In many YA coming of age novels, a magical act or a wise person will help with the journey. In King's book, Sarah really struggles with herself- quite literally as her alternative selves are real- other people can see them and interact with them. Sarah's mother instantly recognizes 10 year old Sarah and desires to reconnect with this Sarah, while Sarah's dad cannot figure out who 10 year old Sarah is. Sarah's struggle is very real and she must go into deep places to find herself.

This book begins one way and by the end of journey one will be in a different place completely. That was a sign of the great writing that King offers. The story changes as Sarah grows and learns. The story takes hard sharp turns in a graceful way that stay true to Sarah's story. I loved this book. I read it so slowly because I wanted to savor it. This has to be one of my favorite books of the year.

I gave this one 4.5 stars.

Here is your Amazon link- Still Life with Tornado by AS King

Monday, October 31, 2016

Bird Box by Josh Malerman- Book Review

With October comes scary reads and since this is being posted on Halloween, I thought I would save one of the scariest books I have read this month for this day. Bird Box by Josh Malerman has such a great premise, an atmosphere of dread, and a conclusion that pays off so well. It is scary for what it doesn't show rather than what it shows.

There are creatures roaming the land. Anyone who has seen these creatures have instantly gone crazy and have killed themselves or others, so there is no description of what they look like. Malorie has been surviving the outbreak and has recently found out she is pregnant. She was surviving with her sister, but after her sister kills herself (not a spoiler as it happens about the 2nd chapter in), she must find if there are other survivors out there- completely blindfolded. How does one face an enemy one cannot see?

The other narrative of the book is Malorie years later. She has to return to the outside with 2 children- Boy and Girl. She knows there is help downriver, but it will take a few days to get there. The creatures are still out there. She must paddle, again blindfolded, to safety.

There are a few things we know about this book right from the opening chapters-
1. Malorie has survived for a number of years
2. She has 2 kids.
3. She is alone with those two kids.
4. Since much of the book takes place locked in a house with a group of other survivors, what happened to them? We know something must happen.
5. We also know supplies will start to dwindle.

These things we know from the first 3-4 chapters of the book, so we are left with these questions for almost the entire length of the book as we flip between Malorie looking at her past and Malorie in the present. The uneasy feeling and the feeling of dread just flow from the pages of this book.

I think what makes this book scary is the simple unknown. One doesn't know what the creatures look like, one doesn't know what will happen to the other survivors, one doesn't know if Malorie will reach safety in the middle of a river without any shelter, and one doesn't know if even the creatures are still out there. The fear of the unknown and the paranoia that comes with it are on full display.

This isn't to say the book doesn't drag at times. Malerman keeps the book on a pretty consistent pace with almost no relief, which gets to the reader a bit. One needed a bit of levity or relief to allow breathing space. As stated though, dragging aside, the conclusion makes it all worth it. There is a scene in the book that is not to be missed. The great thing is most of it takes place "off screen" too, so you still get that feeling of not knowing. It was beautiful.

I gave this one 4 stars.

Here is your Amazon link- Bird Box Josh Malerman 

Friday, October 28, 2016

The Case Against Satan by Ray Russell- Book Review

There is just something about a classic book, especially a classic horror book. The Case Against Satan by Ray Russell is a story we are quite familiar with, but it is still worth the read to see how the genre changed throughout the years.

Susan was a straight laced 16 year old, until the fits started happening. She wouldn't go into church anymore, she has started swearing, and when confronted by a priest, she attempts to seduce him before digging her nails into his throat.

Two other priests are called into action. One is the Bishop of the area, who has seen something like this in the past, but doesn't want to believe it is happening again. The other is a younger priest who struggles with his faith as well as a drinking problem.

Susan is brought to the priest's house to have the ancient rite of the exorcism performed. Throughout the next few days, both men must clear Susan of the devil. She will tell their darkest secrets, parishioners will become suspicious as they hear a woman in the priest's parsonage, and the two men will fight one another. They will continue on to help Susan become the sweet 16 year old she once was.

Now immediately, most people will say- that sounds like The Exorcist! You would be correct, except this book was written almost a decade before the Exorcist made its way onto the screen. This book is an original work of a now well known genre.

The book is tamer than most of the newer exorcism type stories, but it still has a lot of bite for a book written in 1962. Imagine the idea of a 16 year old seducing a priest by sitting nude on his desk and telling the priest she knows he wants her to a soon to be counter culture group, but not there yet. Think about the idea that priests can rape children to this same group, which we would find out later was happening, but the idea would have been shocking. This is why one reads classic books.

The book was a very fast read at just over 150 pages and was a lot of fun. I enjoyed myself while reading this and was glad I cracked the spine to see the origins of a genre.

I gave this one 4 stars.

Here is your Amazon link- The Case Against Satan by Ray Russell

Monday, October 24, 2016

Giovannis Room by James Baldwin- Book Review

I have been on a Baldwin kick recently as I have read a lot about Baldwin and his influence on black culture and society, but up until this last year had not read a book by Baldwin. This weekend was also a Readathon and although I could not participate the whole weekend, I snuck in shorter books to at least win a participation trophy. One of those books was Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin.

This was the first fiction piece that I have read by Baldwin and I have to write how astounded I was at this one. The basic premise is David, following a car accident and a proposal, runs away to Paris to expand his horizons. His fiancee Hella is in Spain, while David is now in Paris. They are to meet a bit later on.

In the meantime, while at a bar, David meets Giovanni when David's friend Jacque hits on Giovanni. David and Giovanni develop a relationship together and move in with one another while Hella is away. The two become lovers and soon Hella returns and David is a changed man, but tries to commit himself to Hella, but keeps running into Giovanni. What will happen as Hella figures out the truth? What does David learn about himself?

It is hard to review a classic piece because it has already stood the test of time and remains a classic for a reason, so I will just share some reflections I had about the book.

The initial reaction was- I can't believe this was written in 1956! One could write this book today and it would be just as relevant as it was in 1956, if not more so. One often thinks of the 50s as fairly straight laced and pretty Wonder Bread, but there are so many books that break through that myth. Here was one written by a black author, writing about a white man who is either gay or bi-sexual. My thoughts were that David was gay, but had to repress his real thoughts and feelings because he was living in the 1950s and even in France there were expectations about who a man is and what a man should and shouldn't be doing. It was a deep commentary on the community.

The theme of running away just flows through the book too. David is constantly running away- from his father, from America, from Giovanni, and from Hella. He cannot stay still because he cannot be who he wants to be. How deeply personal for Baldwin! Here was a man who writes about how he was treated in America, didn't want to live in a country that didn't accept him for the color of his skin, so he moves to France. Add the layer that Baldwin was also gay and even within his own race, he is also an outcast. This had to be a deeply personal book for him.

So far, between The Fire Next Time and Giovanni's Room, it is a toss up on which is the book I would recommend. One is pure non-fiction, while the other is fiction, but both deal with issues that Baldwin was facing at the time. Do yourself a favor and read both.

I gave Giovanni's Room 4.5 stars. Warning: the beginning takes a bit to get going and the ending is a very French influenced ending.

Here is your Amazon link- Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin

Wednesday, October 19, 2016

The Gentleman by Forrest Leo- Book Review

I recently took 2 train rides back and forth from NYC for two days in a row. Since the ride is just shy of 2 hours, I usually bring a book that is a bit easier to read and I can more than likely finish on the ride. This time around, I finished 3.5 books with The Gentleman by Forrest Leo being the second book I finished. I picked this one on a whim and I am glad to state that it was a perfect train book.

Lionel Savage is a Victorian poet who has run out of money buying books. Even though he sits on a huge pile of books, he is flat broke. He marries Vivien Lancaster for her money, but finds himself unable to write poems any longer.

He becomes distraught and is ready to kill himself when his sister, a free spirit, come bursting through the doors. A costume party is thrown and the Devil shows up looking to make Lionel be his friend. Lionel accepts The Devil's friendship, loans him a book, cannot find his wife the next day, and is still unable to write poetry. His sister's brother shows up from his safari, when all of a sudden Lionel realizes what has happened- he accidentally sold his wife to the Devil. Now he must take his sister, his brother in law, and himself to hell to go rescue his wife.

This is a silly novel that plays itself off completely straight which adds to the silliness of the novel, if that makes sense. It is meant to be a funny and silly novel, but it isn't so self aware that it comes off as fake, but rather tries to stick to the genre it is centered around- namely Victorian era banter. 

There are lots of- "my word," "tally hos," and a few "my good man" throughout the book. It is that type of language. The characters are also caricatures and are meant to be so- Lancaster is an over the top explorer, Lizzie is the free spirited Victorian girl straight from the pages of your favorite Victorian book, etc. That is part of the fun.

There are also some wonderful art pieces throughout the book that break it up a bit, such as one would find in a Victorian book. They too are silly. One of my favorites was one of Lionel sitting in a giant chair with books not only thrown about, but the chair sits on a pile of books. It was my dream chair. It is just fun




The only critique is because it is a parody it becomes a bit long and a bit too much after a bit. We could have gotten to our destination just a bit faster, for my taste, once we had established all the key players. It is still a fun book though and worth a read, but maybe a library or a sale.

I gave this one 3.5 stars.

Here is your Amazon link- The Gentleman by Forrest Leo

Monday, October 17, 2016

The Mothers by Brit Bennett- Book Review

The Mothers by Brit Bennett was my main pick for this month's Book of the Month. If you would like to try Book of the Month, use my link and the code- "30tote" during this month to get 30% off a 3 month subscription and a free tote. Enjoy!  

 I don't know how many good things I could say about The Mothers. It is hard to believe this is a first book for Brit Bennett as it is that good. It is such a good story, has a unique way of telling it, and so well written, Bennett seems like she has been writing for decades and has 7 bestsellers under her belt.  

 The story is centers around Nadia, who at age 17 has a relationship with Luke, the 21 year old son of the local preacher. Nadia falls hard for Luke and Luke for her. After a small bit, Nadia finds herself pregnant with Luke's baby and decides to have an abortion. Luke leaves her at the abortion clinic.  

 The story continues for years following Nadia and Luke. The story is filled with secrets, regret, hurt, and the ripples that continue to happen. Part of the story is told through the church mothers, who open most of the chapters with their gossip. They share their thoughts and feelings which are often judgmental and you can hear the *tsks* as they tell the story.  

 This isn't a book where much happens, but it is about the hurt that comes from lies and from regrets that we all have. Nadia and Luke make a mistake that will last decades into their lives. It is like a giant cloud that hangs over them and all their future relationships especially because Nadia made the choice without Luke's input. Luke also must recognize his choice has an impact on his parents and their ministry. They play a part in Luke's decisions as well.  

 This book has a lot of hype around it and it is completely true. I even went in with a small grumble that it won't be a book for me, but I became convinced only a few pages in. Bennett sets a great tone for the whole book and doesn't let up. I loved it so much, I read it in a day. Read this one.

 I gave this one 5 stars.  

 Here is your Book of the Month link- The Mothers Brit Bennett (code 30tote)

Friday, October 14, 2016

Good As Gone by Amy Gentry- Book Review

Good as Gone by Amy Gentry was a Book of the Month pick this month. If you would like to experience Book of the Month, please click the book link for 30% off and a free tote! I know you will love it!   

 I want to share the last few reactions I had to this book. They went something like this- "What!?! Wait! Noooooo! Oh yes! Oh no! Get out of here. Oh my..." and so on. This is one of those books that will keep you guessing until the very end of the book.  

 The story is about Julie, who was kidnapped in the middle of the night at knifepoint. Her mother, Anna, and her father as well as her sister who witnessed the crime, have had hope for years that Julie would be back.  

 As years begin to pass, the family starts moving on with their lives until one day, a barefooted 21 year old shows up on their doorstep claiming to be Julie. At first the family is thrilled to have their daughter back, but things start not adding up, such as Julie's story and some of her actions don't match up with their daughter. A private detective then calls and says that Julie may not be their daughter.   

 I will admit that the last sentence of the above paragraph seems like a spoiler, but I assure you it isn't and that is one of the things I loved about Gentry's book. From the beginning the reader will question whether or not Julie is really Julie and the detective is introduced fairly early in the book to help the reader remove this question. I loved that as it could have been drawn out for a long time, but instantly the doubt is introduced which frees up the story to explain who Julie is.   

 The other reason it is not a spoiler is the book itself is told from two perspectives- Anna and Julie's. We stick with Anna for about the first quarter or less of the book and jump instantly into Julie's story. Anna's story is told forward always, while Julie's begins with what we know and moves backward which really worked in this book. Julie's backward story will leave one questioning regularly as characters are introduced, but not explained who they are until the next chapter. While Anna's story keep moving along as the private eye gives more details as to who Julie might be. It isn't cut and dry though and I was left guessing until the end.   

 There were two minor critiques I had with the book- first the cover is ugly. I kept joking on Litsy how ugly the cover is- pink and yellow just clash together. The second was there is a character in the book that I wished was introduced just a little bit earlier. This character could have flowed with the story from the very beginning and it would have developed the story a bit more. 

   I had a lot of fun with this book. The writing is ok and Gentry kept the story moving along without too much drag. I loved the alternating chapters which kept the book going.   

 Overall, I gave this one 3.5 stars.   

 Here is your Book of the Month link- Good as Gone by Amy Gentry

Wednesday, October 12, 2016

Homebrewed Christianity Guide to the End Times- Book Review

 There has been a fun little series coming out of my denomination's publishing house for the last two years. Augsburg Fortress/Fortress Press/1517 Media has been partnering with the podcast- Homebrewed Christianity and has been putting out these fun little books with really deep theology.   

 The latest of these is The Guide to the End Times- Theology After You've Been Left Behind by Jeffrey Pugh. In the book, we read about Jeffrey's time within an end times church who focused on the idea the world was ending and ending soon. As he grew out of that theology, he looked back at what it meant for him and how it shaped him as a Christian and a professor.   

  The book is also about the theology of the end times looking back at history and when did Christians become obsessed with the end of the world? The fun part about the series is there is some heavy theology within the book. It is not light at all, but it is told in a very approachable and down to earth way. There is a "conversation" that happens between the author and 4 other people- The Bishop, The Deacon, the Elder, and the Acolyte. These characters appear in the other books as well. They offer different takes on the material presented or ask a question to help dive further. It is a cute technique that works well, although at times I did wonder why a certain character would ask or say what was said. It wasn't too distracting though. 

Each book is also written with a wink and a smile. They aren't only approachable, but also are funny and at times a bit sarcastic. The idea is there is fun behind the text and to enjoy theology. The book is meant to be short and small to carry around and for easy Bible/book study.  

I gave this one 4.5 stars. 

Here is your Amazon link- Homebrewed Christianity Guide to the End Times

Monday, October 10, 2016

Faithful by Alice Hoffman- Book Review

I have to admit that I am a big fan of Alice Hoffman. While I have not read all of her book, she has written a ton of them, I have read quite a few to get her voice down. When I was notified I would be able to read Faithful early*, I did a happy dance. It took me a bit to get to it, but after finishing, I have to write that I thought it was an ok book, but an ok Hoffman book is still pretty strong compared to other authors.

The story begins with an car accident involving two HS girls- Shelby and Helene. Helene is left brain dead and is propped up in a bed while Shelby walked away with a small broken bone, but a load of guilt. She blames herself and goes into a mental breakdown that lands her in a psych unit, where she is raped by an orderly. It is then that Shelby declares she has lost her soul. She shaves her head and lives most of her life without caring about anyone.

She eventually re-meets Ben Mink her weed dealer who falls for Shelby. Shelby will float throughout her life, eating Chinese food, and looking at the world with a different lens. Eventually she will fall into another family's drama and become the listening post for the kids in the family. Postcards also find their way into Shelby's life, but what do they mean?

As you can tell from the small blurb, I am having a bit of difficulty relaying Shelby's story as it is almost two separate books with one part taking up about a quarter of the book and the rest another story for the final 3/4ths. It all centers on Shelby though as she ages and carries these traumas-accident and then rape- and guilt- for the accident- for all of her life. 

Shelby is a complex character and Hoffman does a beautiful job of creating her. She makes seemingly wrong decisions, she keeps trying to be closed off and the world won't let her, and it seems she desperately wants to be free of it all. Some of the other characters are not too developed, but they are in the very real sense minor characters.

What was difficult for me was the premise of a girl without a soul was so good and the books seems to be heading one way, but once she connects with the other family it takes a turn that felt a bit movie of the week. The girl without a soul gets her heart melted by cute kids and rebellious teens. It isn't written like a movie of the week, mind you, but it just felt a bit disconnected from the rest of the book.

It wouldn't be the first Hoffman book I would recommend, but it was still worth the read. I didn't care for the reveal of who was sending the postcards. I won't spoil it, but it would have almost been better without a reveal as it lends itself to the idea of a semi religious angle.

I gave this one only 3 stars.

Here is your Amazon link- Faithful- Alice Hoffman

*I want to thank NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the advanced copy of the book. I received it for free in exchange for an honest review.

Thursday, October 6, 2016

The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena- Book Review

The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena was a book I forgot I had. It was my Book of the Month selection from last month and after getting it, I piled some other books on top of it. I should have known not to do this as Book of the Month picked another goodie to read. If you would like to read this book or any of the Book of the Month selections, feel free to use either link in this paragraph and the code "BOTM5" to try Book of the Month for just $5!   

 The premise of the book is about a couple who are drunk at a party next door. Their babysitter canceled on them at the last minute, so they decided to attend the party, but leave their newborn in the crib alone, since they are just next door. Every half hour they check on the child. When they get home very drunk at 1AM the next day, their baby has been kidnapped.   

 The story continues with the couple tying to get their baby girl back. They have to confront what they did, how drunk they got, and figure out what happened. As the police question, we find problems in at least one of their pasts with blackout violence. Did one of them kill the child and the other help cover up the murder?   

 The big question besides, where is their child? Is what role did the couple next door have in everything? How are they connected? We also see what the family dynamic is between husband and wife and extended family. How far does cover up go and for how long?   

 There are parts of this book that made me roll my eyes, there were a few plot loopholes too, and at times it took forever for a revelation to be revealed further, but I just didn't care as this was simply a fun book to read. I even ran home after a class I was teaching, so I could finish the book that night because I wanted to see how it ended so much. Sadly, the ending was one of those eye rolling moments, but as stated, I didn't care as it was worth the ride.   

 The book itself was a pretty simply read and a rollercoaster of a story. Just when you think something is figured out and you know what is about to happen, it flips itself over, and I love those types of books. At points you may be sure who did it, but I guarantee you don't or you will be instantly convinced someone else did it.  

 I was hoping for more interaction with the actual couple next door as they seemed to have quite a few key pieces of information, but we glance in on them only a few times here and there. One point was such a twist, my mouth hung open. Hint: It happens in Chapter 11.    

 As stated, this isn't the greatest book. I thought the final reveal was a bit out there, but it was a read meant for a beach, a plane, an afternoon, and wasn't looking for authenticity or deep plot. It was just there for entertainment and it was entertaining. If you are planning on reading it, just go for the ride and don't think about it too much.   

 I gave this one 3.5 stars.   

  Here is your Book of the Month link- The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena (use code BOTM5 for a $5 month!)   

 *Disclosure- I am a Book of the Month Club affiliate and must link to Book of the Month Club when it comes to reviewing their books. Subscribing gives me a portion of the sale, which helps me buy more books!

Tuesday, October 4, 2016

Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh- Book Review

I am experimenting with a new blogging program for my computer, so I may have some difficulty with formatting for a small bit, so my apologies.  

 After I finished Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh, I just kind of sat there for a little bit. This was one of those books that I picked up on a whim to read at night, but got so sucked into the book that I wanted to read it immediately after waking up. The funny thing is that it is not an easy book to read at all. Eileen is mostly an unlikable character who has so many character flaws that I would never want to meet her on the street, so to speak.  

 The book itself is about the title character Eileen and told from the perspective of an older Eileen looking back at a moment in her 20s. In this moment, we know that Eileen lives with her drunk father, whom she keeps drunk to make life livable. There will be a woman named Rebecca who will come into her life and change it forever. She will also run away from her home a few days from the book start, a few days before Christmas. This is what we know from the beginning.  

 Throughout the book, we also know Eileen has a poor self image of herself. You will read lots of descriptions of herself, especially her breasts, which she is not proud of. She hates the way she looks, her confidence level, and how pathetic she is.  

 We will also get into Eileen's head, which is a very scary place. She daydreams about killing her father, icicles falling through her, getting raped, and all sorts of other fantasies. Eileen opens herself to the reader in all sorts of ways. She does not hold back as a narrator.  

 Finally, we will learn that Eileen's favorite topic is Eileen. She loves talking about herself, even in her own self loathing. One may even paint her as a psychopath of sorts. But, aren't we all in how we look at ourselves and what slips through our minds at times.  

 As stated in the beginning, I sort of loved this book, while disliking it at the same time. Eileen is not an easy character to like at all. She is not the sympathetic narrator, who happens to be in a rough life. She is in a rough life and thrives there a bit because she reflects her world. Yet, she is so fascinating at the same time. Wouldn't you love to really hear what others are thinking?  

 The writing also draws the reader in. It is written as literary fiction, so the sentences flow with some amazing descriptions. It isn't written too highly though that it distracts from the text. This sounds like older Eileen, who is now more experienced and has had 3 husbands herself, talking about her younger self and her own inexperience.  

 With that written, this is not a book for everyone. It is up for the shortlist for Booker award, so that says a bit about it too. I gave this one 4 stars with the desire never to read it again.   Here is your Amazon link- Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh  

Friday, September 30, 2016

The Last Dragonslayer by Jasper Fforde- Book Review

As I stated in my last book review, I have been on a roll recently with YA novels thanks to some really helpful recommendations. One of the books recommended to me was Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series, which is currently in my TBR pile. On a Book Riot podcast though, one of the podcasters stated- I think the Last Dragonslayer by Jasper Fforde is just as good if not much better than Riordan's books. I had read some Fforde, but didn't know he wrote a YA series, so I immediately downloaded it and read it. Was it worth it? Hint- Super yes!

The story is about Jennifer Strange who is an orphaned indentured servant and current acting director of Kazam. Kazam utilizes magicians, who are no longer the power agents they once were, to now help people with their plumbing problems, wiring problems, finding lost things, etc. Strange keeps things running and helps the magicians keep their egos in check, even when at least one of them feels superior to Strange.

Strange has two more years with Kazam before she is thrust out into the real world and is now in charge of training her possible replacement Tiger, also an orphan and indentured servant. As she is training Tiger, some of the magicians tell her they have had a premonition that the last dragon is about to die on Sunday by the hands of a dragon slayer. Should the dragon die, the dragon lands are open to the other kingdoms and all out war will happen. Strange, it turns out, is the last slayer and must do her duty or face severe consequences. 

The premise of the unlikely hero is one that we have read before several times, but Fforde plays with that a bit. Strange isn't just an unlikely hero, but the unlikeliest of unlikely heroes. She is sarcastic to a fault, is a servant, yet understands the power of her actions, should she decide to do her duty.

Fforde's characters are the charm of this book. All of his characters are developed well and full of life. The magicians Strange interacts with are all so much fun and just a joy to be with. Strange herself is placed in a no win situation and to see how she contemplates what to do without changing her character was just great.

This isn't just a great book for teens, but this is a great book for all ages. Yes, there are some "simple" aspects of this book, but it is still worth the read. I gave this one 4.5 stars.

Here is your Amazon link- The Last Dragonslayer by Jasper Fforde