Everything I Don't Remember by Jonas Khemiri- Book Review

I will state in the very beginning of this review that I am unsure whether I loved or really Everything I Don't Remember by Jonas Hassen Khemiri. I know it seems like an odd way to start a review, but I want to be honest with the reader.

The marketing states that this book is told in a Serial type style. For those that do not know, Serial is a podcast where a story is told for 12 weeks or so, but from different perspectives which makes the listener change his or her mind about the story. I would say it is more of a Rashomon type of narrative- different perspectives, but still and unknown truth.

It is the story of an unnamed investigator looking into the death of Samuel. Samuel dies in a car crash, but there is a question as to whether or not it was a murder or a suicide. The investigator seeks the truth by interviewing several people in Samuel's life- Panther- Samuel's childhood friend, Vandad- Samuel's roommate and current friend, and several other people like neighbors and other contacts. 

Samuel falls for Laide, hard. After a disastrous first date, although is it because others have a different perspective, Samuel and Liade continue their romance. Things become difficult when the friendship between Vandad and Samuel breaks due to Laide or was it just fine and Vandad was just jealous of Samuel's new love? Maybe Panther is involved somehow too as Samuel may or may not have gotten over their childhood fling. It depends on who you ask.

I will say first why I didn't like the book because it is very simple- the format of the book. It is told with pure dialog and each chapter is a different person's perspective. It is also told in very tiny chunks of dialog without letting the reader know who is speaking. Often, I had to turn back to the beginning to remind myself who was talking. The dialog also will shift back and forth from the present to the past without any sort of warning. There is a just a simple break in these chunks with a star (at least my reviewer copy had it that way). This format made it very difficult for this reader to follow.

This leads me to why I might love it. The book is meant to be a puzzle that the reader has to put together. Unlike Serial, the reporter doesn't butt in to give a- here's what we know so far type of summary. This is what makes Serial so good Sarah Koenig will reflect the listener's confusion. There is none of that. You get the dialog and it is up to you, as reader, to put together what happened. One must figure out who to believe and who not to believe. Maybe both are right and wrong at the same time. As stated- Rashomon. The reader is supposed to be a bit confused because the reporter is confused as are all the speakers. They can only see things from their perspective and may never know the truth of what happened to Samuel. Only someone knows the truth, but I am not telling.

I gave this one 3.5 stars. I see the brilliance in the book, but it was not a pleasant reading experience simply due to the presentation. It makes sense as to why the author chose this presentation style, but it just didn't work for me. There will be some who love it though and I can see people loving it.

Here is your Amazon link- Everything I Don't Remember by Jonas Khemiri

I received this book for review purposes from NetGalley. I do not have to give a positive review, but do have to notify the reader how I received the book.

I'm Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid- Book Review

The tagline for I'm Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid is "You will be scared. But you won't know why" (sic). I don't think a marketing campaign has ever hit the nail on the head like this one.

This book is creepy. I don't think there is a better word to describe it.

The book begins with a road trip to Jake's parent's house told from the perspective of a unnamed girlfriend of Jake. Jake is an intellectual who has a conversation with the girlfriend about what reality is, what is truth, and other types of philosophical discussions. The girlfriend is thinking about ending things with Jake, even though she likes some parts of Jake. She has also been getting a strange call on her phone daily and sometimes multiple times a day. It is always the same message with the same voice. Thus begins the path toward creepville. 

As we arrive at Jake's parents' farm house, things start to shift. There are dead animals alongside of live ones, dinner is almost silent, Jake's parents are extremely odd, and the house is just creepy in and of itself. Jake's girlfriend starts forgetting things- like the fact she bit her nails to the nub. Her perspective takes an eerie tone.

Following dinner, we move into a school where we come to the ending of the book. Jake disappears into the building and the girlfriend is left alone with a janitor who may or may not want to kill her. She must go into the building to find Jake and get to safety, but things take a huge turn for her.

As stated, this book is more creepy than violent. There is one violent scene, but one knows it is coming. The creepiness comes from how Reid describes everything through the eyes of the girlfriend. At certain points the girlfriend will describe things as if looking at the scene through a 20x magnification. There is one scene entirely devoted to how Jake eats his cereal, for example. We read about how he chews, how he stares intently at the paper, how he doesn't dribble, etc. This goes on for a few paragraphs. Reid will use this technique throughout the book to give a sense of creepiness.

There is also a story being told in between chapters of unnamed voices who are describing a murder of some sort. I will say that it is important to follow along this story. I will also say that it is important to follow along with the opening conversation. It will not seem important, but it is extremely important to understand this book. I don't want to spoil anything, but these parts really matter to your "enjoyment" of this book and I think the reason why some are going negative with their reviews is they did not pay attention.

There is a twist in the book that will make one want to read the book again immediately, which is exactly what I did. As soon as I finished it, I went back and started to re-read it to see how incredible this book was. I know that people will not enjoy this one, but I loved it! It is definitely not for everyone, but for those that enjoy creepy, creepy books, I think you are going to like this one.

I rated this one 4.5 stars recognizing it isn't for everyone at all.

Here is your Amazon link- I'm Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid

Modern Lovers by Emma Straub- Book Review

Modern Lovers by Emma Straub was my main pick for last month's Book of the Month Club and once again I was not disappointed. If you would like to be part of the Book of the Month Club, please click the link or the banner on the side and use the code "Summer30" to get 30% off a 3 month subscription, free sunglasses, and a tote!

I will admit that I didn't read The Vacationers by Emma Straub, so I wasn't immediately on the Straub bandwagon. I had heard good things, looked at the book often in the bookstore, but never pulled the trigger. When BotM offered this one, I knew I had to give it a go and I am so glad I did.

This is a wonderful story of three couples (or 4 if you look one way)- Elizabeth and Andrew, Zoe and Jane, and their children Ruby (Zoe and Jane's daughter) and Harry (Elizabeth and Andrew's son). There is a 4th relationship in Ruby and Dust, but Harry will intersect into that story.

In college, Elizabeth, Andrew, Zoe, and Lydia were part of a band called Kitten's Mustache. The band was gained some fans in college, but at the death of Lydia the band split. Now older, Elizabeth and Andrew are married and are neighbors to Zoe and her wife Jane. Both couples are having problems. Andrew is caught up with a friend who owns a yoga studio, where Andrew now spends most of his time. Zoe and Jane are divorcing, yet own a successful restaurant together. 

Throughout the story, a movie about Lydia is being discussed and movie producers want the blessing of the three other members of the band. Both Zoe and Elizabeth have signed on, only Andrew is the holdout. He won't say why, but there are suspicions that something happened in the past.

Another story is the budding romance of Harry and Ruby. Ruby is kind of a wild child who has often fallen for the wrong guy, especially her current boyfriend- Dust. Harry, who is pretty straight laced and takes SAT tutoring classes for fun, has had a crush on Ruby most of his life and when an opportunity to protect Ruby comes up, he takes it and their romance begins. Their parents find out about their relationship when they are arrested for having sex in a playground.

It is hard to describe the appeal of the story except to say that it is just great writing. The plots are there, but there isn't major drama behind them. The book is more of a look at love through multiple relationships- budding love in Harry and Ruby, a love falling apart in Zoe and Jane, a love on the edge of mistrust with Elizabeth and Andrew, the love of all of them as college students, and other friendships. This is a look into the lives of these friends and what happens as college students become older. Straub's story is just good. I read a different review of Straub's writing which stated Straub writes as if the neighbor is telling you a story about other neighbors. The book just works so much so that I ran out and got The Vacationers.

I gave this one 4 stars. There are a few dragging bits, but the characters are so well developed that it makes up for those parts as life isn't always exciting.

Here is the Amazon link- Modern Lovers by Emma Straub

The Assassin Game by Kirsty McKay- Book Review

I received this book for free from NetGalley. I am not obligated to review the book positively, but I am obliged to state how I received the book.

I will admit the cover for The Assassin Game by Kirsty McKay got me. Without knowing anything about the book, the cover was such a striking image that I instantly requested it.

As I read through the book, the story grabbed me. On a private island in a private school, 13 students are selected to play a game- Killer aka Assassin (yes, that game). Students are "killed" one by one through the use of a prank of some sort- the bigger the prank the better. There are rules to how one is killed, but the main point is not to hurt anyone, don't get caught, and don't get the teachers angry.

Cate is one of the students picked in the middle of the night. After the initiation, her old friend, Vaughn, from when she was 8 shows up out of nowhere with new ideas for the game- a social network (the school only has an intranet). He is strange, keeps appearing out of no where, and falls for Cate.

As the game progresses, things start getting serious and people really start getting hurt. Is this still or game or has it become something else?

I did not know this was a YA book AND it was already published under a different name- Killer Game with a different cover. Those two things should have warned me about this book. As stated in other reviews about YA books is character development and the high amount of drama from insignificant things. This book is no different- Cate is developed well as is Vaughn her childhood, but everyone else is so lightly developed that when something happens, I had to keep asking myself- "who is that?" It becomes difficult to care about someone in a book if they are not developed.

The other difficulty is nothing major happens until page 200! It isn't a spoiler, since it is the premise of the book, but our first student majorly harmed is 200 pages in of a 300+ page book. I would think that if there was a sense of peril, peril should have happened pretty early in the book. There was a lot more explaining the game rather than playing the game.

It isn't a terrible book at all. There were lots of fun parts to the book and the story moves pretty quickly. I read it in a single day due to the quick pacing of the book. I will say that I guessed the antagonist very, very quickly. I used two verys because I kind of knew at about page 50 or so.

I will say that I also recognized that I wasn't the target audience for the book, as I am an adult and not a pre-teen. That is audience for this book, unlike a Hunger Games or a Maze Runner, two series which can be enjoyed as much as an adult as a teen. This one is Hunger Games for pre-teens and I do mean pre-teens. I think an older teen would enjoy Hunger Games much more than this one.

I rated this one 3 stars for pre-teens or on a YA scale. It would be much lower if it was on an adult rating, as I don't think adults will not get much out of this one.

Amazon Link- The Assassin Game by Kirsty McKay

The Invoice by Jonas Karlsson- Book Review

I received The Invoice by Jonas Karlsson for review from NetGalley and BloggingforBooks. I am not obligated to give a positive review, but I am required to notify the reader how I received the book.

I write a whole bunch. As a pastor, I have to write a new sermon each and every week. There are times that I will have a sermon idea that seems so great, but after about a page of writing, it doesn't seem to go anywhere, so I am forced to abandon it. It is heartbreaking because the idea was so good, but if it doesn't go anywhere, it makes sense to let it go.

I had a similar feeling when reading The Invoice by Jonas Karlsson. The premise for the book is so good! An unnamed video store employee is presented with a bill for $5.7 million kronor. As he investigates the bill, he finds out that it is a bill for his life so far. Things are no longer free- the air, the clouds, the trees, etc and he hasn't paid for any of it. It is now time to pay up and our narrator doesn't know what to do. He starts having a conversation with his case worker, Maud,  from the company that is charging him. As the conversation gets going, our narrator realizes he hasn't really lived at all.

This is such a great premise and I think a lot could have been done with it- questioning what a life is worth, wondering what is important in life, looking at socialism/capitalism, or a whole wide variety of topics. The problem is this very short book doesn't do that much. The main bulk of the story is our narrator trying to figure out why he is being charged the amount he is being charged. He travels back and forth from the company, compares his bill to his friends, and has some very cliche things happen to him throughout the story.

There is a very quick side story of a past love interest which is a really wonderful story and could have been a story in and of itself. The difficulty is it too doesn't get explored. Maud and our narrator have a little love story going as well, but it too isn't too fleshed out. It is as if the author had the idea and just threw some things to flesh out the book a bit. I almost wondered if it was designed to be a short story at first.

I really wanted to like this book, but I am unsure if it is something lost in translation as it is a Swedish book translated into English or if it was just a good premise that the author had trouble filling. Either way, it just kind of fizzled as a whole for me.

I rated this one 2.5 stars simply for the premise and because it was a short read. I would say skip it or take it out of the library.

Here is your Amazon link- The Invoice by Jonas Karlsson

Sex Object by Jessica Valenti- Book Review

I must open this blog stating- I will have to use language that some might find offensive or highly sexual. If I didn't, I wouldn't be accurately portraying Valenti's work. I am warning ahead of time, so no complaining, ok?

Before I purchased Sex Object by Jessica Velenti, I had an uncomfortable conversation.

I purchased the book from The Golden Notebook in Woodstock, NY (shop local!) and got into a conversation with the owner about the book. The owner is a woman and I am a man. The question was a simple one- the owner asked- I heard about this book, what is it about? She had found out I was an amateur blogger and she found out I blush easily. She found this out because I started saying what I knew the book was about-

The way men look at women and say inappropriate things, sometimes even to the point of no longer speaking, but doing. It is about her sex life, abortion, her drug habit, but mostly how men treat women. 

The more I spoke, the redder I got, until I got to the point of saying- "You probably know more about what she is talking about than I do, so I am just going to stop talking now." The owner and I laughed at not only my embarrassment, but also that Valenti was writing about truth and doing it in a no holds punches type of way.

These articles are raw and not for the easily embarrassed/offended. She speaks openly about blowjobs, seeing men's penises on the subway, being ejaculated on without her knowing it, getting raped, abortion, drugs, and what she has been called as a writer for many popular sites. The way she writes is in small blog like chapters that usually begin with a bang- an example from "Anon"- I don't remember the first time an anonymous man told me to go fuck myself or said I was a cunt...." That is what you will get if you pick up this book. 

The book is told in 3 parts, but I was a bit unsure why as the articles didn't stray too far from similar topics and the book is only 192 pages long or 200 with the end notes, which were notes written to her via email/blog comment- one was just a string of "fuck you." This also is not a humor book. I write that having just read and reviewed "Shrill" which has similar topics and at least in my Amazon feed is listed as one of the "books you might also enjoy." The two are vastly different.

I will write that the book did effect me. As I read, I thought about my own behavior, but also my own naiveté. I too grew up in NYC and now live near Woodstock (where her parents moved to), but I had no idea that things like this happened to women. I had heard catcalls because there are just people who are jerks who do that, but to actually take out one's penis and sometimes masturbate, just kind of floored me. It was one of those things that I thought wouldn't happen in a million years, but for Valenti it was almost a weekly/monthly thing! The book also opened up conversation with my wife as I jokingly asked her- "How many stranger's penises have you seen?" and she had to think about the question. Again, I am the naive one here.

The book is a challenging book. It ranges from the shocking articles to articles about the birth of her child who was a preemie, so it doesn't stay shocking the whole time. It reads very quickly and it is bite sized. I would read 2-3 chapters a day to stretch it out. If I sat down and read it, I could have done so in about an hour-an hour and a half.

I rated this one 4 stars. 

Here is your Amazon link- Sex Object by Jessica Valenti

All the Missing Girls by Megan Miranda- Book Review

There came a moment in All the Missing Girls by Megan Miranda where I said out loud "Oh S***" and then climbed onto my couch cushion because I couldn't believe what I was reading. The great news was the story  just continued from there. I will place what day that took place at the bottom, so if one is looking to go into this book blind, it will not ruin anything.*

I  want to mention that I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley, so it may not be the same in the final form. I do not have to give a positive review, but I do have to inform the reader that I received the book this way.

Ten years ago, a teen girl, Corrine, went missing. Her boyfriend, Jackson, was the main suspect, but three of her friends were the last ones to see her at a county fair they attended. The friends were Nic (our protagonist), Tyler (Nic's then boyfriend), and Daniel (Nic's brother). There was also Annaleise who were the three friends' alibi the night of Corrine's disappearance and is Tyler's current girlfriend.

Nic must return to her hometown because she received a note that simply read "I need to talk to you. That girl. I saw that girl." Nic's dad isn't doing well and is in a specialized care unit, but he keeps talking about "That Girl." When Nic returns, Annaleise also goes missing, but this time Tyler is the main suspect.

Believe it or not, I am not spoiling anything in the above outline because the unique part of this book is that it is told backwards. Many may remember Seinfeld did a similar thing, as did the movie Memento. To tell a mystery this way left me on edge the whole time. Things weren't lining up, there was a feeling that someone knows more than is being told, and it left me, as the reader, a bit disoriented, in a good way. The backwards story just worked. Sentences would go by that would just drop a little hint at something that wasn't told before because it happened a few days before the part one is reading. It was an effective tool.

Miranda has a great story telling voice. Even though there were parts of the book that frustrated me because I thought I missed something or wanted to know more and I wouldn't get to those parts until 3 days earlier or so (we count from Day 15 backwards), I was drawn into the story due to the writing. There was one critique and I am not sure if it was because of my frustration or the need for Miranda to tell the story backwards, but Miranda revisits scenes often and occasionally I felt too often. We come back to the Ferris Wheel, for example, where Nic is dared to hang off the side, at least 6 times, if not more. It was a life event for Nic, but it felt like we were there a few too many times.

Much of the book is about secrets and small town gossip. Is something true just because a town declares it true? Can anything really be kept secret in a small town? What is truth in the first place?

There are some great twists in the book, as stated at least one "oh s***" moment. It comes out next week and it is a page turner.

I rated this one 4 stars.

Here is the Amazon link- All the Missing Girls by Megan Miranda


*It isn't much of a spoiler, but if you are ready to jump to when things get really rolling, Day 4 and Day 3 were my moments.

Before the Fall by Noah Hawley- Book Review

I had to wait a full day before reviewing Before the Fall by Noah Hawley. The reason why I needed to wait is because I was so upset with the ending of the book that I had to examine why I was so upset. I am so glad I did wait because after really thinking about it, I now think the ending is pretty brilliant.

I got Before the Fall from Book of the Month Club as my main pick this month. If you are interested in Book of the Month, click the link or the banner on the side and use the code "Summer30" to get 30% off a 3 month subscription, a BotM bag, and sunglasses. I was so excited about this book after reading about it.

A small private plane crash happens only a few minutes after it takes off. On the plane is the CEO of a Fox News like news channel, his wife, his daughter, his son, and his bodyguard. Also on the plane is a powerful investment banker who had monies tied up in places he shouldn't have, his wife, and his children. There is also a painter Scott, who was invited onto the plane last minute. Scott paints scenes of tragedies- train crashes, explosions, and plane crashes. There is also the plane crew- the captain, the co-pilot, and the stewardess.

The only survivors of the plane crash (non-spoiler) are Scott and the 4 year old son of the Fox News like station-JJ, who is now stands to inherit a multimillion dollar trust. Scott winds up saving JJ and is called a hero, but as the story begins to unfold, questions about who Scott is and how he got onto the plane start to emerge.

There are two other characters worth mentioning- Bill Cunningham, who is a Bill O'Reilly/Rush Limbaugh type character and Gus, the lead agent in the investigation. There are several more characters who are also fleshed out. These two though take the stage front and center though.

This is really Scott's story as his life is now transformed by the experience. Not only does he have the press constantly breathing down his neck and the investigation that keeps pointing to him as a suspect, but he is in the middle of a life crisis. One doesn't simply walk away from a plane crash where you are one of two survivors and not walk away changed. Scott transforms throughout the book as he comes to grips with what happened vowing to change his life for the better.

The book itself reads kind of like a Lost episode. Not because it deals with a plane crash, but how the story is told. The main story will be told for a few chapters, but as bodies are found or as other revelations come forth, the victims' backstories will be told. Each person has baggage and has reason to play a part in the crash. I will not spoil anything, but if any of them survived instead of Scott, they too would go through what was happening to Scott.

As stated earlier, after finishing the book, I did not like the ending. In fact, I told my wife the ending ruined the book for me. Then I started thinking about the conversation between Bill and Scott. I will not spoil the book at all, but if you are in the same boat as I was, re-read Bill and Scott's conversation and specifically what Scott says toward the end. What Bill does is what we want and Scott lectures the reader as well as Bill. This is why I changed my mind on the ending. I will leave it at that.

This was a fun read, but there came a point where I thought 400 pages was just a bit too long. It wasn't because the story was off, but I just wanted to know the ending and was ready for the book to end. 

I gave this one 4 stars.

Here is the Amazon link- Before the Fall by Noah Hawley

Talk About God and Other Stories by FG Paci- Book Review

What can I write about Talk About God and Other Stories by F.G. Paci? I guess the first thing I will write is this book is definitely not for everyone. Paci has a wonderful writing style that draws the reader in, but the stories are what will distance readers. In fact, I believe he touches a bit on this in his 8th story- "The Author's Anxiety at the Book Launch." This story gets a bit meta as it is about an author at a reading. The author is reading his new book about an author who is afraid to speak about his new book. The audience just doesn't get what he is doing in the story or in the book. There might be a bit of truth there.

This is a book of 8 short stories. It begins with a reader boot camp, done in the style of a drill instructor instructing readers how to read and ends with the story mentioned above. 

Like all short story collection, there will be some that connect. I especially enjoyed Talk About God, where an atheist struggles with his thoughts on the divine after an accident and Chef for All Reasons was an interesting read, as a chef struggles with his family as he is also losing his cooking show because he focuses too much on zen and drops Buddhist sayings into his cooking lessons. There were also some stories that miss connection. For me, I couldn't connect with Rousseau's Children or Philosophy for Idiots. I will also acknowledge it is one's taste in stories that makes the difference.

Paci has a wonderful writing style though when he hits and one can see a great writer throughout the stories. As stated though, this will not be for every reader. I think fans of Paci will gravitate toward him or readers looking for something a bit different will also go for it.

I rated this one 3.5 stars.

Here is the Amazon link- Talk About God and Other Stories by F.G. Paci

I received this ebook for free from NetGalley. It was a readers proof and may not be the same in final form. I did not have to give a positive review, but do have to notify the reader how I received the book.

Vile by Benjamin Jeffries- Book Review

I will admit in the beginning of this review that I did not read the book from cover to cover before writing this review. I will finish it, but I have read enough to get the writing style and the focus of the book. Due to the way the book is written, not finishing it will not harm the review in any way. I will restate I will finish the book.

Vile: Peeking Under the Skin of Murderers by Benjamin Jefferies is a true crime book profiling 21 notorious murders throughout history. Each chapter is a single murderer and the story is quickly told using first person accounts or police records. Each chapter is only a few pages long, so it is a quick read. At the end of each chapter is a very quick one paragraph profile of a murderer from the past. 

I had an advanced copy*, so there was not a introduction or any statement as to why the 21 individuals were picked. There also was not any deep analysis as to why these murderers did what they did. Each chapter was written in such as way as a half hour true crime show on TV might profile these murderers. It is just the basics of what the person did, how the person was caught, and what happened. Quick and easy. I hope one can see why not reading the full book would change the review now.

I will say that I have a soft spot for true crime books. My mother was very much into these types of books as quick summer reads, so they were in my house when I was growing up. They were "fun" reads for us. It is why I jumped at the chance to review this book when I saw it was available. Due to my past, I knew most of these stories, so they were quick refreshers. There were a few I had did not know, so I jumped to those immediately, while filling in a few who were more famous to see what was different. This is a very brief look at these 21 people. Some of the chapters include Albert Fish, Dennis Nilsen, Henry Lee Lucas, Joseph Kallinger, Jack the Ripper, Dahmer, and Gein.

I rated this one 3 stars.

Amazon link- Vile: Peeking Under the Skin of Murderers by Benjamin Jefferies.

*I received this ebook for free for review from Edelweiss. This does not mean I have to give this a positive review, but I do have to notify the reader of how the book was acquired. 

Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

In the last few months, I have read two YA oriented books with gay characters debating whether or not to come out and in a secret relationship with another student. The first was Will Grayson Will Grayson and the second was Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli. Both have gay male HS characters trying to figure out who they are, both have a secret love with whom they share their secrets via email/IM, and both end with a play. In both too, the love on the other end is not who is expected.

I write this wondering if this is becoming a literary trope and wishing for a different and more difficult exploration.

Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda is about Simon who is a gay HS youth who has not come out yet. He writes back and forth with Blue, another gay HS youth who goes to Simon's school. Neither are using their true names because neither is out yet. 

The book opens with Simon being caught. Martin, another youth at his school, threatens to expose Simon to the HS via Tumblr, unless Simon helps Martin get together with Abby, one of Simon's best friends. Nick is Simon's other friend, who has been Simon's friend since childhood. There is also Leah who is new to his friendship circle, (very minor minor spoiler warning coming. Really minor) but becomes the first person Simon comes out to.

The question is what will Simon do? What will he do for Blue?

The book takes place through the span of a few months. We see Blue and Simon's relationship grow through email texts every other chapter. We also see Simon's family and friends though Christmas and finish with a play. Simon will learn who Blue is and his life will change.

The book is written for a young adult audience, so it reads very quickly and there is lots of drama throughout the book. Things blow up quickly and resolve themselves just as quickly. Some of the side plots too aren't explored very much in depth. Simon's sisters, for example, aren't really developed, but we do hear how close Simon is to them but never see why. The relationship Simon has with Nick and Abby is also kind of light.

This isn't to say the book isn't worth one's time. I could see how a HS youth, especially someone wrestling with sexuality would find this book extremely helpful and uplifting. It has challenging situations that a HS youth would likely face and probably comes from the years of counseling youth by Albertalli. There is also a speech given by Simon to Martin that I thought was incredible and worth the price of the book by itself.

As I close, I want to return to my comparison with Will Grayson Will Grayson, as these are the only two YA books I have read in the last few months and both have a similar theme. The other troubling thing for me is in both, the parents of the gay youth, instantly love and accept them when they come out. I too have worked with many youth through the years and some have struggled with discovering their own sexuality. Sometimes it is an easy and loving conversation with parents as we see in both books, but I have met some youth who have had to leave their parents or been thrown out of their houses at too young of an age because their parents couldn't accept or love them anymore because they were LBGT. Where is that book? Where is that narrative for teen youth?

Overall, I gave Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda 3.5 stars. It is a book that can be very useful, but it could have been a bit deeper and explored some more complex issues. Blue is Jewish, as we learn, what if his father didn't accept him? What would Simon do? I would have loved that book.

Here is the Amazon link- Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead- Book Review

I was so happy when NetGalley* approved me to be able to read The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead early. Like Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi, The Underground Railroad was on my most anticipated reading list. I was just introduced to Colson Whitehead through his book Zone One which was a fantastic post apocalyptic zombie like book. So, when I heard he was writing a book about slavery, I knew it was going to be a good one.

The Underground Railroad is the story of Cora a slave who is willing to take a beating for another slave. That is the type of person she is. She is a strong woman and the daughter of an escaped slave mother. Her destiny is not to be a slave any longer.

A fellow slave Caesar, sees Cora and tells her about an Underground Railroad, a physical railroad- tracks, train, etc that helps slaves run. He and Cora decide to escape one evening as well as one other and attempt to make it to the train.

In the meantime, a slave hunter, Kennedy has been hired to find Cora and bring her back to her master. Kennedy is a ruthless hunter who will do anything to find his capture. He refers to slaves as "it" and treats them as beneath him. He is on her tail and will do anything to capture her.

The book itself is a treat to read. Whitehead is a very skilled writer and a wonderful storyteller. There were a few parts that seemed to drag a bit, but they did not drag too long. His characters come to life and Cora grows throughout the book. She is driven to be free and nothing is going to stop her, not even Kennedy who's legacy grows the further she runs.

Parts of this book are almost cliche and have been told before, especially the parts that take place on the farm, but I think they need to be, so the book can take things in a different direction. The reader has to get comfortable, so that when things start to change, the reader too is stirred up.

As I was reading, I couldn't help but think about the story of undocumented immigrants, especially in today's political climate. There were so many parts of this narrative that made me think about the similarities, such as they physical underground way of moving around, the constant fear of being caught, the language of "them" rather than people. I will write that I am not sure Whitehead intended that, but I could not help reading the book without drawing from stories I have heard from undocumented immigrants. It is difficult to get settled and one doesn't want to get too comfortable. Comfort mean danger.

I will also write that I read this right alongside of Homegoing and Insurrections by Rion Amilcar Scott, who all tell similar stories of struggle for African Americans in the US. I think many will compare this book to Homegoing, but I looked at The Underground Railroad as a companion piece that made nice bookends. Homegoing is out now and The Underground Railroad will not be out until September, so they will remind readers of the same story of the struggle of African Americans during the time of slavery and into today. There is also Underground Airlines coming in July by a Caucasian writer, who looks at an alternative universe where slavery wasn't abolished. I wasn't approved to read that one early, so I will wait until July to see how that one fits into this grouping.

The Underground Railroad is definitely worth your time, especially if you are a fan of Colson Whitehead. It is another book that gets a huge check mark in his many wonderful books. The UR is a difficult story to read and will challenge many readers. There are a few dragging parts, but as a whole it is a wonderful narrative and Cora is a great character.

I gave this one 4.5 stars.

Amazon Link- The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead

*I received this advanced copy to review for free from NetGalley. I do not have to give a favorable review, but do have to inform the reader of the way I received the book. I also did not see a restriction on reviewing the book early, but this review may come down if I am in violation of something. My apologies if I was not supposed to post early, it was a simple mistake.

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi- Book Review

Right off, in the beginning, I have to be open and honest with my readers. I was really excited about this book before it came out. I heard so many things about it from people who got an advanced copy that I was hyped for this book. Well, that sounds strange as it is about slavery, but I am guessing most understand what I mean. One of my main passions is understanding race/race relations. I have been waiting for this book for that reason. I even pre-ordered it months before it came out on Amazon.

Now I have read Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi and I have to write- if you care anything about race, telling the story of slavery, great writing, or anything like that, this book needs to be on your shelf.

Homegoing begins with two stories of half sisters from Ghanna- Effia and Esi. Effia winds up married to a British slave trader, while Esi winds up as one of his slaves, yet they do not know the other is present in the same castle. Each is presented with a precious black stone before they leave their respective villages and face their futures.

From that point on, each chapter alternates with the descendants of each of these women. Each chapter looks at significant times in their descendants' lives. Effie's son Quey's story, for example, begins when he is older and is asked to return to his mother's village. The problem is he is now of mixed race, so there are some ramifications to his identity in the world- he is neither English nor from Ghanna. Ness' story on the other hand, the daughter of Esi, is more of a tragic story because she is a slave woman's illegitimate daughter. She is property rather than of privilege. She is a slave who picks cotton in Alabama. Her life is very different from Quey's.

The incredible part of Gyasi's stories are they are not straightforward and don't necessarily go where one thinks they are headed. There are heartbreaking stories, there are romance stories, there are stories about identity, and many other deeper topics. One family does struggle a bit because of where they begin life, but that doesn't mean the other family has it any easier. The problems are just different.

What I really enjoyed about seeing how the generations progress is how some of the great grandchildren have elements of their great grandmother. Some say similar things for example or have a way about them that just reminds the reader of a previous story. It isn't overtly done though and that is what is fun. There isn't a character who comes up and states something to the effect of- "That is just like what your grandmother used to do." That would be too easy. Gyasi allows to reader to pick up certain things because you, as reader, know each person's history.

This book could have easily fallen flat, but I am so grateful that it didn't. This isn't just a good book to talk about race, identity, history, etc, but it is also great writing and storytelling too. Even though the reader only gets a glimpse of a character's life, one feels comfortable and knows that person.

The book isn't necessarily the feel good story though and a few times I had to put the book down because I couldn't take what I just read, but it is an important book. I read The Underground Railroad right next to this one and I am telling you that will be a great companion piece to this book, when it comes out. This was an ambitious and risky book and it really paid off. Gyasi weaves the stories so well together that they stand on their own, but savvy readers will pick up little hints on ancestry. Seriously, get this book.

This was a 5 star book!

Here is the Amazon link- Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

Shrill by Lindy West- Book Review

I will admit that I was not familiar with who Lindy West was, but I had heard about this book before it was a pick for June's Book of the Month Club (use the link and "refer50" for 1/2 off a 3mo subscription).

Shrill by Lindy West at points made me literally laugh out loud, question my own language, and at times made me think about some of the things that I have accepted when it comes to being fat.

This is a collection of essays by West dealing with a wide variety of issues. The bulk of the essays are about what it is like being a fat woman (her words, not mine) and the way people treat her in life and on the internet. Other essays deal with comments she has gotten as she has blogged and a debate over rape jokes she had with Jim Norton. 

The essays read like blog posts which is not a bad thing, in fact it made the book a quick and easy read. Her use of humor is incredible. She is funny! I learned so many new terms for the "vagina" for instance. She pulls no punches and just comes out and gets to the point. I appreciated that in her writing.

There were essays that I deeply connected with, since I am a fat guy. Her essay on getting on an airplane and the stares and comments that come along with being a bigger person for instance, hit the mark. Her humor is often self-effacing, which at times contradicts the point that she was trying to make in a different essay, but it works. Overall though, her essays on being a bigger woman and being comfortable with oneself were quite powerful. I especially thought her essay where she stands up to her boss, who went on a "obesity is killing the world" kick was worth reading for anyone who struggles with weight.

The only difficulty I had with the book was how the stories were sometimes told. For example, her essay on debating rape jokes with Jim Norton had a lot of incredible points. She told what it was like for her and the comments she was getting from internet trolls, which many comedians didn't acknowledge would happen. The essay was great. Where the difficulty was is she wrote is as a "I said, then he said" type of essay. This is especially difficult when one is only getting one side of the narrative, while the opposite point is quickly glossed over. Even though I agreed with West, I would have liked to know more what Norton's responses were to her. She told the story as a neighbor gossiping about a neighbor trying to make the other look as bad as possible. This happened in a few essays. There was lots of drama in almost all of her essays.

As a whole, I did really enjoy this book and my streak with Book of the Month continues. I think it is very empowering and lots of people who struggle with their weight will get a lot out of the essays.  I rated this one 4 stars.

Here is the Amazon link- Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman by Lindy West

Insurrections: Stories by Rion Amilcar Scott- Book Review

I received this ebook for free from Edelweiss for review purposes. I do not have to give a positive review, but do have to notify the reader how I received the book.

When I started Insurrections by Rion Amilcar Scott, I didn't enjoy it. The first short story was so strange- a man is rescued from attempting suicide by his neighbors. As their relationship grows, the man invites the neighbors to his child's birthday party where he has spent all his money on a Cookie Monster costume that smelled like it came from the dump to make his child happy. The kids run due to the smell and the man is left saddened. The neighbor returns with the Cookie Monster head, listening to the laughter from above, but expecting he would find his neighbor hanging, except this time dead.

I shared the whole story because this is the tone of this book.

The stories are not happy stories. There are not happy endings. This isn't about happy endings though and that is when I got it!

Many times, collections of short stories are named for one of the stories contained within the book. In the case of this book, Insurrections is the title because each story takes place in Cross River, Maryland and deal with the lives of the African American residents that reside within. Each is battling to overcome something- a man who keeps getting mistaken for  his drug addicted brother and decides to try to rescue him, a girl who is beaten in chess by her father who claims to be the best chess player in the world until he is beaten in chess by the park expert, or a student who ruins his teacher's life and has to deal with the consequences. All the stories are about overcoming something and sometimes realizing there is a ceiling holding you down.

These are powerful stories of trying to overcome the odds when the odds are so stacked against you. Sometimes the odds are overcome only to learn that there isn't much hope. As stated, this isn't a book with a lot of happy endings.

Scott's writing just flows and is very poetic. He changes his style through the stories to give voice to his characters. I sometimes forgot I was reading the stories of one author. With that written, like many short story collections, there are ones that will connect and others that just will not. I went back to re-read the first story and it still wasn't my favorite of the collection. Neither was A Friendly Game. The three-202 Checkmates, Juba, and The Legend of Ezekiel Marcus really were touching in their own way, but still heartbreaking. I really enjoyed 202 Checkmates for some reason.

As written, this is not a pick to pick up to make you feel good, but it is a group of stories that need to be told. I am currently reading Homegoing and The Underground Railroad, so this book fit right into place of what I am currently reading as a different side to the same story.

I gave this one a solid 4 stars.

Here is the Amazon link- Insurrections: Stories by Rion Amilcar Scott and will be released August 5, 2016

Magruder's Curiosity Cabinet by HP Wood- Book Review

I received this book from NetGalley for free for review purposes. This does not mean that I have to give the book a positive review, but I do have to notify the reader how I received this book.

There is a funny story behind this book. I had applied to NetGalley to read the book, but did not hear anything for a few weeks, so I figured I was going to be turned down. I did want to read the book, so I went out and purchased it. The day after I started reading it, I found out I was approved to read it via NetGalley, so I read half of it in galley form and the other half in the final retail form.

Magruder's Curiosity Cabinet by HP Wood was a difficult read for me not due to the language or the writing, but due to the story.

The book tells the story of Kitty Hayward who has just arrived in Coney Island and is looking for her sick mother who disappeared from a hotel room. Kitty is penniless and stuck. She runs into a local con man who takes her under his wing and introduces her to a cast of characters who work for the boardwalk.

As the story is told, we see that rats are dying on the boardwalk, as are the camels in one of the acts, and then one of the boardwalk workers all falls ill. It turns out the plague aka the cough is claiming the lives of people.

It was at this part that book kind of fell apart for me. I really enjoyed the first part of this book as the two stories of Kitty and the Cabinet start coming together. Those parts of the book were great. When the plague is introduced and the cast is separated, I found the book lost its way. 

The writing was a lot of fun and I felt that Wood was telling a great story. She kept the slew of characters going and kept the story progressing. It was just the plot that drew me out. I know that people will love this book despite my beef with the plot. I will warn that there is a feeling that this is a YA book, but it definitely is not. It becomes a pretty depressing book toward the end and has themes that are not appropriate for youth.

I rated this one 3.5 stars.

Here is the Amazon link- Magrudedr's Curiosity Cabinet by HP Wood

Only Love Can Break Your Heart by Ed Tarkington- Book Review

There is something really special about Only Love Can Break Your Heart by Ed Tarkington. The story and the writing drew me in so much that even though this is not my type of book, I wound up loving it.

As stated in an earlier review, I have not only joined Book of the Month Club , but I have been reading all the picks of Liberty Hardy. This was one of those picks! If you are interested in Book of the Month, use the banner below and the code SSK5 for a free bag, sunglasses, and $5 off a 3 month subscription. *Shameless sales pitch

This is the story of Rocky, looking back at his life, especially a few key points where his life changed. One was when he was 8 years old in 1977. Rocky is infatuated with his brother Paul. Paul is cool, listens to rock, and drives a Nova. Paul also is deeply in love with his High School girlfriend Leigh. 

One day, Paul comes for young Rocky at school and takes him for a car ride to see Leigh. Following the car ride, Paul drives young Rocky out into the woods, gives him cigarettes, and beer. When Rocky passes out, Paul leaves him in the woods with the intent of letting Rocky die. Paul returns scared, drops Rocky off, and drives off.  Rocky, their father (the Old Man), and Rocky's mother (Alice) as well as the rest of the neighbors are left behind in a wake of problems that Paul caused. 

The story continues in Rocky's teenage years, where Rocky is now Richard and Paul's old flame is about to get married. I don't want to add any spoilers at this point, so I will leave it at that. We also move forward in time a few months after the wedding, when out of no where Paul returns after the Old Man has a stroke. Finally, there is a murder of two neighbors where Paul is one of the main suspects.

There is a lot that is going on in this book. It isn't only about the plot, but also about relationships. It isn't only about Paul and Rocky's relationship, but also about relationships between neighbors. The three main neighbors each represent a different aspect of life- one family is poor, one family is rich, and one family is powerful. The wedding is between the rich and powerful, but what happens when the past catches up and embarrassment overshadows one of the wedding party? 

The writing is really what drives this book. I completely enjoyed Tarkington's writing and writing style. If it were not for the writing, I am sure this would have been another book and I would have not kept going until the end. His characters are so well defined and their relationships are so complex that there isn't necessarily a good choice or a bad choice for the characters. There isn't an easy answer- much like life.

I will admit I felt the murder/who done it at the end didn't quite fit. It seems to come out of no where all of a sudden and doesn't seem to fit the flow of the book. Eventually, it explains some of the choices the characters make, but the murder itself seems out of place.

I rated this one 4 stars for the wonderful writing and story.

Here is the Amazon link- Only Love Can Break Your Heart by Ed Tarkington

The Girls by Emma Cline- Book Review

I received this book for review purposes from NetGalley. While I do not have to give a positive review, I do have to make the reader aware that I was given a review copy. Consider yourself made aware.

I am going to start my review of The Girls by Emma Cline with an analogy.

I just don't get jazz music. When I am listening to it, I can hear the beauty within the notes, I can hear the skill behind the music, and I can appreciate the music for what it is, but to actually sit down and listen to a jazz album by myself probably will not happen. In jazz, there are parts that I don't get. Some people love it when there is disharmony or odd notes, but I find them kind of distracting. It is why I don't get jazz music.

The Girls was a jazz album in book form, for me.

I was very excited about this book and it kept coming up on my Amazon recommendations. The premise was what got me- a fourteen year old girl, Evie, falls into a Charles Manson like group during the summer of 1969 after her attraction to one of the girls in the group- Suzanne. Evie falls under the spell of the group's leader- Russell, who is excited about a record deal with Mitch- a famous guitarist for a popular rock band. The group winds up getting arrested for the brutal murder of a caretaker, a child, and two women.

It is also the story of grown up Evie, who is living in a borrowed house, when the son-Julian of the owner of the house comes in with his girlfriend- Sasha. The opening of each of the three parts of the book tells this ongoing story as Evie sees a bit of herself in Sasha and how Julian is coercing Sasha to do things she might not want to do.

While reading the first few pages of the book, the writing was incredibly distracting. There was great skill in the writing and I could see that, but there was just something a bit off that as soon as I would get into a rhythm, the writing would throw me off once again. This would happen regularly throughout the book.

The odd thing was I knew that some people would love this style of writing and would be a main attraction for many people. This is why it was like jazz for me. There is definitely skill behind the writing and for about 80% of the book, I was right along with it, but every now and then a sentence or a paragraph would pull me out of the experience because I had to re-read or simply pass over the words because they interrupted the flow of the book.

The other reason why it was like jazz to me, was I kept coming back to Evie's age. Evie is a complicated character in that she is now an adult looking back at her childhood and the entire narrative is from her adult point of view. 

Evie's parents are divorced. Her father has run away with a younger woman and her mother is dating a guy who Evie does not like. Evie's friend Connie has abandoned her for another friend and Evie is feeling alone in the world. She is also confused sexually. She has a crush on a boy, but enjoys looking at old Playboys and finds herself sexually attracted to the women within the pages. It is this attraction that draws her to Suzanne who is carefree and knows who she is. Evie is both sexually attracted to Suzanne and drawn to her self-assuredness. 

Evie is 14 years old. She says she passes for 16, but she is 14. As I was reading about Evie and how she falls into the freedom of Russell's group, I kept coming back to her age. 

Throughout the story, Evie takes drugs like crazy, drinks, has a three way, and is also forced to have sex with several men. She disappears from her mother's house for days at a time, yet her mother doesn't seem to notice at all. Part of that is because she tells her mother she is going to Connie's house daily, but after a few weeks of this, one would think her mother would have a note of concern and the Connie excuse would not hold water. 

Her age was a major distraction for me, especially since the adult Evie is pretty much unharmed by these experiences she had at 14 with the exception she keep thinking someone is coming for her. If she were 16, 17, or 18, her age wouldn't have been a sticking point for me, but a 14 year old is a middle schooler and not a high schooler. I am sure there are some wild 14 year olds. In 1969, I don't think even the swinging 60s would have allowed a 14 year old to have the experiences Evie had. Someone in the group would have noticed that Evie was still a child. At one moment Suzanne seems to awaken to this, but at that point Evie has gone through everything described above.

Finally, another jazz moment. We know, as readers that the murders are coming- the opening of the book points us in this direction. By the time the murders do happen, I wasn't into the book anymore and wanted it to end. Part of me wished the murders happened somewhere in the beginning of part 3, so we can see an Evie, who has now had these experiences, deal with the idea that the group she was a part of brutally murdered people. What was the fallout for Evie? How did she deal with it? What happened as she witnessed the trial go on? What was it like to see Russell and Suzanne on TV? What happened to her mentally?  It could have been a chance to see a deeper character development for Evie, but we don't get that story. Evie goes on with life in private school and has a semi normal life.

Recognizing this is my longest review to date, I have to say I enjoyed much of the experience of reading this book. I am glad I read it and I think the story drew me in at times. Evie's age and some of the language of the book drew me out of book many times to the point of distraction- you are reading about statutory rape several times without any mention of it. Overall, I gave this book 3.5 stars for the two reasons listed above, but I know there will be people who love this book.

Here is the Amazon link- The Girls by Emma Cline.

The Magician's Lie by Greer Macallister- Book Review

I saw the Magician's Lie by Greer Macallister as one of the past selections from Book of the Month Club (click the banner and use "Summer30" for 30% off 3 months). Whoopi Goldberg was the judge for that month, but I had not been part of the club yet and I couldn't pull the trigger on buying the book.

The following week, the book was on an ebook sale, so I thought that fate was throwing me at this book. I took it with me on a work trip and decided to read the whole thing during that trip.

The difficult part was the book was the second book that dealt with abuse against women that I had read. It was something that I was not expecting and after having just finished a book that also had abuse, I wasn't feeling well after reading this one.

The book is about the rise of the Amazing Arden the second female magician of the late 1800s to early 1900s. We follow her life as she moves from a dancer to one of the greatest magicians of her time. She rivals men's tricks and amazes audiences. She is on top of the world, in love, and raking in money until her past catches up with her.

It is also about the murder of her husband, who is laying in the bottom half of one of her greatest tricks, where she uses an ax to cut a man in half. It appears as if she has killed her husband on stage in front of a live audience. She is arrested and interrogated. The book moves back and forth from her interrogation to her story. The question is- which parts are true and which aren't?

I have to admit that I asked my wife- what's up with female authors and writing about abuse? Not because I am unaware of spousal abuse or am ignorant that abuse happens, but because I had finished another book with the same topic, also written by a female author. My wife's response was- does the book have a man that she cannot love because she has to be with the abuser? My response was yes. Her reply was- my dear, you just read a typical romance novel.

I will also admit that I did find some fault with the Amazing Arden's character development. Throughout the book, we see her character grow and get stronger, as she is haunted by the abuse she took as a teenager. That abuse drives her to become the best and the greatest. To me, toward the late part of the book, she once again becomes the Arden that isn't as strong or mighty. From my understanding though, this too can play out in abusive situations. Personally, though I wanted a stronger Arden who has lived, grown, and become the woman she became. I am avoiding spoilers, but should you read it, you will see what I mean.

There are long parts of this book that simply do not move the story forward or develop the character much. The characters though are rich and the story is well written. I found myself, even during the longer parts, desiring to know what is next. I gave this one 3.5 stars.

Here is the Amazon link- The Magician's Lie by Greer Macallister