Currently Reading

Happy July, everyone! Welcome to the sticky, sweet days of summer. This week is set to be a short one as the Independence Day holiday nears. I'm planning to take Friday off and spend time with family and a few friends. Therefore, no book review will be posted on Friday. I will resume my schedule on the Monday following the holiday weekend. Happy Canada Day to all my northern neighbors as well!

Though the contest was called off due to lack of entries, I was very pleased with myself for setting a goal and reaching it. I began and finished a short story within a couple of months. Now, that may not be much of a goal for most people. With my brainfog and other health issues, it's a big accomplishment. I'm pushing ahead and using this momentum to finish a few other things on my plate. Hope you all are doing the same!


Old friends and new friends come together at the top of the list:
Jackfish Reborn by Rejean Giguere
Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen
Say You Will (Summerhill Book 1) by Kate Perry
Prince Lestat by Anne Rice
The Sacred Flame: A Novel by Nanette Littlestone 


Saying goodbye is the hardest part:
Jesse by Glen Alan Burke
Hell (The Afterlife Series #2) by Mur Lafferty


So, here's to more books finished and more good days ahead! Hope you all enjoy the summer celebrations this weekend. Be safe. Be happy. See you on Monday!

Until next time,
Kay B

Jesse by Glen Alan Burke

Release Date: May 1, 2014
Publisher: Koehler Books
Author Website:  http://www.glenalanburke.com/

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
In 1960's rural Alabama, change came slowly to the town of Jess Rulam. When Jesse Savorie entered the elementary school, he stood out like a sore thumb. He was quiet, smart, big and beyond poor, but he stood out the most because he was a black boy in a white school. As the country marched toward equal rights and the children accepted the changes more readily than the adults, the clear divide between the people persisted.

Throughout his education Jesse taught life lessons to any and all who crossed his path. By using his uncanny knack for knowing what the person needed, he was able work miracles in even the hardest of hearts. Darkness and meanness lingered, festering among the townsfolk until it reached a boiling point where Jesse was concerned. Can he weather the harshest storm to work the biggest miracle possible? Will everything he worked for fall apart?

Review:
I also found this book when I searched through the offerings at NetGalley. Though historical fiction was not one of my go-to genres, I was pleasantly surprised by what I read in this book. To be honest and fair, the book started slow. It took a few chapters to settle into the world of Matt, the character who told a large portion of the story, and the town of Jess Rulam. Once I reached the third or fourth chapter, the story gained its bearing and continued a steady pace until the final chapter. To say that I wasn't expecting anything akin to the ending would be an understatement.

As mentioned above, the author used first person point-of-view for a large portion of the novel to tell the story through the eyes of Matt, a young, white boy who attended the local school system alongside Jesse, the odd boy who changed people and things wherever he went. There were also a number of chapters which featured third person point-of-view in order to give more history on the events, the town or particular characters. Though the switching between the two distracted me from the story a time or two, I wasn't put off by going back and forth. More than halfway through the novel, it didn't distract me at all.

The characters began showing their depth around the same time that the pace increased. Because this novel was set in Alabama during the 1960's and 1970's, the racial divide was much larger than today. Yes, discrimination and violence against both sides were present in the novel, but used to move the story along and provide context about the town, the people's deep-rooted beliefs and how change scared everyone. True to form the children adapted to change much faster and handled the impacts better than the adults of the town. More profound events were necessary to get them to understand how divisive the hatred or disdain was to the town at large. By the end of the novel, each of the characters had experienced a change that left them much more complex than the beginning of the book.

Overall, I was surprised when I recognized the fact that the book was a retelling of a much older story. Once that realization sunk in, I had to know the ending of the book and whether it came close to the original or not. Different emotions came to the surface at different times. Anger when I read how some of the characters were treated. Sadness when I realized that most of the treatment was based on real experiences. Joy when I saw that people began realizing they needed to change. For me, this novel hit the right buttons for an thought-provoking, enjoyable read. For those who enjoy well-written, updated versions of well-known stories or a book which makes you think, then I whole-heartedly recommend this book.

Jesse by Glen Alan Burke is available at many online retailers in either paperback or Kindle (digital) formats. The link provided below will take you to the book's page at Amazon.
Jesse by Glen Alan Burke

Go Down Hard by Craig Faustus Buck

Release Date: May 5, 2015
Publisher: Brash Books
Author Website: http://CraigFaustusBuck.com

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
Nob Brown left his police job for the insecurity of freelance writing, found himself on the wrong end of a bad divorce, and came to the realization that his best friend/sometimes lover, Gloria Lopes, had her own definition of monogamy. In order to cheer him up, she lets him borrow the police file covering the homicide of Lana Strain, the smokey-voiced lead singer of Nob's teenage dreams. He accepted the file and began following leads in order to wring a story or two out of the anniversary and pay off his ex-wife.

What began as routine examination of the facts led deeper than anyone, including Nob, expected. Shady underworld characters, reformed rockers and more did their best to lead Nob astray from the truth. As he pushed to follow the trail, Nob found the truth was more disturbing than anything he could imagine. Could he figure out who really killed Lana? Will it cost him everything in the process?

Review:
Once again, late night cruising of NetGalley's genre tabs lead me to find this book among the Mystery & Thriller section. Not a book with a 'G' rating, this book included several adult situations, adult language and plenty of violence. Somehow everything clicked, creating an action-packed thrill ride on the darker side of Los Angeles and surrounding areas. I think part of the reason the story worked so well was based on the fact that the book was told by Nob in a first person point-of-view. This gave a front row seat to all of his thoughts, emotions and inner conflicts as the story unfolded.

So many eccentric characters filled out the cast and each had a corner market on a particular kind of crazy. Nob Brown first appeared as the typical down-on-his-luck guy who spent his days fighting to make ends meet by writing tabloid articles and running from the clutches of his best friend, a hard-as-nails detective with an overactive libido. Throw in several characters who partied like the rock stars they were decades earlier, and you've got a heady mix of ego, paranoia and self-loathing that made it difficult to uncover the truth about the victim, Lana Strain. Even her family members featured a certain level of anxiety. Both of her daughters were polar opposites. One was obsessed with maintaining her mother's image in a very distinct and different way. The other daughter chose to ignore the past and focused on the present. While Lana portrayed herself as a rock-n-roll goddess with a gritty voice and body to match, her father displayed an Ivy league lifestyle, complete with golf games and civil service to boost his credibility in the society pages.

The opening chapter left no doubt that this book was an in-your-face type of novel. Those first pages laid the foundation of Nob's inner circle and launched the struggling writer's investigation. Even with so many different characters to juggle, the structure of the book allowed the author to reveal the various twists and secrets at a steady pace and without losing my attention. Because the story was set in California, the author used the various landmarks in and around Los Angeles and its weather to both enhance the story and create situations that often showed Nob in a world of trouble.

Overall, this story was a wild ride from beginning to end. From ballsy characters to action-packed scenes, there seemed to be something for everyone in the novel. I found it entertaining because of the outlandish nature of the characters and the heartbreaking idea that someone could hurt their family so much that death was the only option. The murder of Lana Strain wasn't the only crime on tap to solve. As Nob delved further into his investigation, several more crimes floated to the top of the pile. Each had their time in the spotlight, but the focus remained on Lana. While there were the usual twists scattered throughout the novel, I felt happy when I didn't guess everything that was going to happen. If you like brash, in-your-face characters or multi-level mysteries, then I definitely recommend this book for your reading list.

Go Down Hard by Craig Faustus Buck is currently available at various online retailers in either paperback or digital (Kindle) formats. Click the link below to order from the book's page at Amazon.
Go Down Hard by Craig Faustus Buck

Currently Reading

Summer is officially here as the Summer Solstice occurred over the weekend. Well, here in the Northern Hemisphere. The Southern Hemisphere celebrated the Winter Solstice. The days will be more hot and humid in our region. Plenty of chances for storms and tornadoes grows as the temperature increases. It's always something though. Nature never really takes a vacation, no matter where you live.

Since I'm stuck inside except for a short time each day, I am using this to my advantage to clear some of these poor books off my to-read list. They've lingered there long enough. Plus, I've received some pretty good-looking books in the past week. Looking forward to diving into them, but I can't until I finish more than I have been. Word addiction is hard to manage when there are thousands of books to be devoured.


Looking at these for the top of the pile;
Jackfish Reborn by Rejean Giguere
Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen
Say You Will (Summerhill Book 1) by Kate Perry
Prince Lestat by Anne Rice
Jesse by Glen Alan Burke
Hell (The Afterlife Series #2) by Mur Lafferty
The Sacred Flame by Nanette Littlestone



These are on their way to the shelves;
Ask the Dark by Henry Turner
Go Down Hard by Craig Faustus Buck 


Competing with my word addiction for the next two months will be my crocheting addiction. I've volunteered to help a young lady in my area reach the monetary goal that will help her receive surgery. A craft fair is being set into motion, so too will the hooks. What's on your list to do this summer?

Until next time,
Kay B

Ask the Dark by Henry Turner

Release Date: April 7, 2015
Publisher: Clarion Books
Author Website:  http://www.askthedark.com/

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
In his short time on earth, Billy Zeets did everything to get into trouble. Whether it was egging cars, stealing things from houses in his neighborhood or being an all-around menace, everyone knew he was no good. After back to back traumatic events shifted everything in his world, Billy knew it was time to change. He had responsibilities no fourteen year-old kid should, and he'd be damned if he didn't try to make ends meet.

Since many of the adults in town had long given up on him, Billy was able to slink around, noticing things that others might not. He noticed boys his age going missing, a strange car prowling around the neighborhood, and no one wanted to hear it unless he had proof. When the opportunity came to get that necessary proof and take care of his responsibilities, Billy didn't waste time in thinking things over because the decision was made for him. Can he escape the fate of the other boys? Can he do so and keep the vow he made so long ago?

Review:
This was one of those late night finds while searching through the Mystery genre at NetGalley. From the description and look of the cover, I figured it was going to be something akin to a haunted house story with a twist. What I found instead was a first person point-of-view account of one teen's survival against every parent's nightmare. The story took place in a rural town where jobs were hard to come by, but neighbors knew everyone and their business. Billy and his family were one of many that fell on hard times and faced some hard decisions after their lives took some dramatic turns.

Billy was a fourteen year-old boy who was left to raise himself after their family suffered a devastating loss and his father was involved in an accident. He shared the burden with his sister, Lezzie, in the beginning. However, she soon found a way out, leaving Billy to find a way to save the family home. As Billy scours the town for odd jobs to raise whatever money he can, he introduced several types of characters to the reader. The junker who prowled the alleyways for anything to sell for a buck, the drugstore delivery driver with a bum foot that let Billy help, the crazy old lady who rarely answered her door and wore tin foil under her clothes - they all had a role in the town. Even the kids knew their place in the town, so it was common for fights to break out among the boys. All the boys around Billy's age came under a spotlight the moment that two local boys went missing and one turned up in a creek.

The book's pacing and dialogue was determined by Billy's dictation. The words on the page became a transcript of what he was speaking, something reinforced by him in the last chapter. At times I had trouble understanding what Billy tried to say because a lot of the words featured the local 'twang' that he used. The story started slow, but ramped up as decision-making was taken from him. Like in many mystery books, certain elements of surprise and distraction appeared in their appropriate places. Though some were predictable, I did like that Billy's personality and stubbornness created a few unexpected surprises during the peak of the action.

To be honest, this book wasn't exactly what I expected to read. Now that I've finished the book, I don't think the story could've been told any other way than through Billy's experiences. He spoke with a child's honesty about everything, contrasting sharply with the adults in the town who held tightly onto their secrets. One more positive point to add to the book's column was the implied violence on the missing boys at the hand's of the suspect. Billy told how the boys looked before they went missing, and later related some of the injuries found on their bodies. While Billy mentioned all that he endured, the entirety of the evil done to them wasn't put into words. Overall, this book was a fairly quick read with a good amount of entertainment to keep me turning the pages. I'm curious to see if anything else happens to Billy in the coming years as the ending left a few doors open. Definitely put this on your reading list if you like a book which uses your imagination as a tool or simply need something creepy to fill those late night hours before dawn arrives.

Ask the Dark by Henry Turner is currently available at several online retailers. It can be purchased in either hardcover, audio-book or Kindle (digital) editions. The link below provides the book's Amazon page.
Ask the Dark by Henry Turner

Near Death by Glenn Cooper

Release Date: November 15, 2014
Publisher: Lascaux Media
Author Website:  http://www.glenncooperbooks.com

Rating: 3 out 5 stars.

Synopsis:
FBI Special Agent Cyrus O'Malley must balance an unexpected serial killing case, a new, lethal drug released on the streets of the world, and spending time with his ailing daughter. With such heavy weight on his shoulders, he poured everything he had into his work and set his sights on the top suspects. What he didn't expect was the grain of truth in the rumors on the street.

With a new drug spreading across the globe, people were given a glimpse of what prophets and theologians speculated for centuries. The comedown of the drug left many despondent and disillusioned, pushing some to the extreme. When a messiah appeared promising deliverance to the masses at the end of a thirty day countdown, Cyrus must move quickly to uncover the truths or pay the highest cost.

Review:
This novel was the third in a list of books by the author recommended for me to explore by NetGalley. Each of the previous book featured their own adventures and characters which explored different parts of the world and the cultures therein. The only thing linking these three books together was their exploration of the spiritual, religion and a person's belief in each. Whereas the other books were explorations of the past's influence upon the present, this title took what the future may hold and used it upon today's modern life.

Right away the cast of characters revealed themselves and what roles they'd play in the overall story. Cyrus O'Malley wasn't the only character that was under a spotlight in the story, but I try to keep these reviews spoiler-free. The other one you'll have to find out for yourself. While the progression of the story focused on two key characters, there were several who shaped the story and gave it a sense of completion. Not only did the characters come from different areas of belief and religion, they came from all walks of life. Whether intellectual or uneducated, white-collar or blue-collar, they all seemed to have a part to play in the events of the book.

The action in the book took a little while to get rolling. There was a lot of little pieces to explore in the foundation of the story. Once everything was in place, a natural momentum appeared. The author took advantage of the rhythm, utilizing the pacing to unfold different aspects of the story at the optimal time. Much of the book revolved the scientific and medical communities, so there was a lot of terminology that if unexplained well could leave the average reader out in the cold. However, the author used the characters to explain the difficult concepts in an educational and uplifting way that left me (the reader) wanting to know more. He did the same with the theological arguments presented in the book, utilizing both sides of the issues in order to reach some sort of consensus that impacted the characters' decision making.

While I found the book very entertaining to the last page, some of the plot and events were predictable. Some of the twists were easy to guess chapters before they occurred, but I was pleasantly surprised by the thought-provoking aspect of this novel. The subject matter and actions of a few select characters opened doors to questions that everyday type of people might not consider in their usual routines. If given the opportunity, would we really want to experience what may be waiting on the other side of death before our time in this life is through? What would we pay or sacrifice in order to have that experience if we said yes? How would this type of drug impact our theologies, beliefs and connections with people in general? All of these were very intriguing questions that lingered in my head long after finishing the novel. If you love the thrill of the chase in a suspenseful book or enjoy speculating what may happen should a number of events take place in a particular sequence, this is a book you definitely need on your TBR list.

Near Death by Glenn Cooper is currently available at various online retailers. It can be purchased in paperback, audio-book or digital (Kindle) versions. Visit the book's Amazon page by clicking the link provided below.
Near Death by Glenn Cooper

Currently Reading

Summer heat is now here, bringing its best friend, humidity, with it. Perfect reason to stay indoors and catch up on my reading list. So far, I've actually been able to knock some of these off the TBR without adding more to the bottom. Of course, that will change soon as I'm looking forward to some new selections arriving at my doorstep.

The past month has been a barren one in the writing department. I thought I had a good short story ready for this local contest, but the finished story wasn't something that I felt right about entering. Editing my other works hasn't fared any better. It's almost as though my writing mojo left for some sunny beach resort, leaving me here with a bunch of dark, gloomy days. I hope it comes back soon and sticks around for more than a day or two.


Cracking the covers of the following;
Jackfish Reborn by Rejean Giguere
Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen
Say You Will (Summerhill Book 1) by Kate Perry
Prince Lestat by Anne Rice
Ask the Dark by Henry Turner
Go Down Hard by Craig Faustus Buck


Saying goodbye to these (for now);
Trail of the Torean (Saga of the God-Touched Mage #2) by Ron Collins
Near Death by Glenn Cooper


This year seems to be the year of book series and stepping out of my genre comfort zone. Neither of those are things I do on a regular basis. Combined with all my other ups and downs this year, I have to admit that 2015 is looking like a year of change and exploration - in good ways, of course.

Until next time,
Kay B