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 

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

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

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

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)

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

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

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.

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!

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