Tag: General Fiction Page 2 of 41

Clearing the Deck II: Tweet-length thoughts about books I can’t find time to write about

I did this back in January 2020, and need to do it again.

I frequently mention how looming Mt. TBR is getting for me, but what’s worse is my “To Write About” pile, I know I’m never going to catch up with that properly and it bugs me to no end. But in the interest of something being better than nothing, a dash of realism, and a heavy dose of self-care, I’m cutting myself some slack. So I’m clearing the deck of everything from 2020-2022 that I haven’t made time for. This was painful to do, I was looking forward to writing about most of these, and I have so much that I want to say. But I’m just not going to get to them—and other books are starting to pile up, too. So, in 144 characters or less, here’s me cutting myself some slack.

How bad am I at keeping up with my To-Write-Titles? I put together the list of books for this post in January 2023. And am just now getting to it. I wish that was a joke.

(Click on the cover for an official site with more info)

Battle Ground
5 Stars
Battle Ground by Jim Butcher
I just can’t talk about this one yet. I need more time. (yeah, they’re fictional characters, but I’ve spent too long with them to not be reeling)
Desert Star
3.5 Stars
Desert Star by Michael Connelly
Loved it while reading it. But I have more and more questions about all of it the longer I think about it. Not Connelly’s best but well worth it
Dead Ground
5 Stars
Dead Ground by M. W. Craven
Not a typical Poe and Tilly case, just as good and gripping as the rest though.
The Posthumous Memoirs of Brás Cubas
3.5 Stars
The Posthumous Memoirs of Brás Cubas by Machado de Assis, Flora Thomson-DeVeaux (Translator)
A strange and somewhat humorous look at a ghost’s POV on his life. I want to read it a few more times to really get a handle on it. Heckuva read
Nightwing: Year One Deluxe Edition
5 Stars
Nightwing: Year One Deluxe Edition by Chuck Dixon
If there’s a better Nightwing writer out there, I’d like to see it. A great, great, great telling of his origin.
Mythos
3 Stars
Mythos by Stephen Fry
Drags a little. Wish he could pick a tone for his retellings/commentary on the classic stories. Still, it’s Stephen Fry talking—worth the time.
Heroes Mortals and Monsters, Quests and Adventures
3.5 Stars
Heroes: Mortals and Monsters, Quests and Adventures by Stephen Fry
See above, but felt it dragged a bit more.
Teen Titans Beast Boy
3.5 Stars
Teen Titans: Beast Boy by Kami Garcia,
Gabriel Picolo (Penciller)

A solid, believable update of Gar Logan’s backstory. Very promising follow-up to the Raven book. Really impressed with Picolo.
Beast Boy Loves Raven
3 Stars
Teen Titans: Beast Boy Loves Raven by Kami Garcia,
Gabriel Picolo (Penciller)

Bring the two together and it’s even better. I’m curious about the overall story, but would read just them being awkward together. Like the art.
Missing Pieces
4 Stars
Missing Pieces: A Kings Lake Investigation by Peter Grainger, Gildart Jackosn (Narrator)
The Murder Squad tackles a cold case and is as excellent as ever. I don’t know how to talk about this series w/o being redundant. I want more!
Junkyard War
3.5 Stars
Junkyard War by Faith Hunter, Khristine Hvam (Narrator)
This was utterly fine. A lot didn’t go the way I expected. But I’m still in this series for the long haul.
The Dime
4 Stars
The Dime by Kathleen Kent
One of the best first chapters ever. The rest is pretty good. Not sure I buy the motive for the murders, nor that I want to see what comes next.
City of Crime
3.5 Stars
Batman: City of Crime by David Lapham
If you buy (I can’t) Batman losing sight of his mission, this story about him recovering it is great. If you can’t…well, it’s pretty good.
Bluebird, Bluebird
5 Stars
Bluebird, Bluebird by Attica Locke, J.D. Jackson (Narrator)
A stunning work of fiction. Words fail me. A deeply compromised Texas Ranger tries to solve a potential hate crime and keep his job.
Flynn (Audiobook)
5 Stars
Flynn by Gregory McDonald, Donald Corren (Narrator)
I expected the Fletch narrator for some reason, but Corren won me over in minutes. One of my favorite novels of all-time. Great audio version.
Son of Fletch
3.5 Stars
Son of Fletch by Gregory McDonald, Dan John Miller (Narrator)
Oh, I wanted to love this. But I just liked it. I’ll probably hear Miller in my head anytime I read Fletch in print.
Fletch Reflected
3 Stars
Fletch Reflected by Gregory McDonald, Dan John Miller (Narrator)
This is not the way the series should’ve ended. Some fantastic moments, but not sure it was worth it. Miller was solid as always.
Last Couple Standing
4 Stars
Last Couple Standing by Matthew Norman
Norman’s best female characters (to date). Stupid premise, but it almost convinces me to like it by the end. Lots of great moments.
Weakness Is the Way
3.5 Stars
Weakness Is the Way: Life with Christ Our Strength by J.I. Packer
Packer’s great on 2 Corinthians and what Paul tells about weakness as a way of life for the Christian.
The Monster in the Hollows
3 Stars
The Monster in the Hollows by Andrew Peterson
I’m not sure I loved the way the story went in this one, but I grew to appreciate it. Characters are still great.
The Warden and the Wolf King
4 Stars
The Warden and the Wolf King by Andrew Peterson
Whatever my misgivings about the last one, this was the right way to end the series. Just what I wanted (if mildly predictable)
Deathstroke: The Professional
3 Stars
Deathstroke, Vol. 1: The Professional by Christopher J. Priest
I prefer the version Wolfman and Perez initially told about his origin, but this ain’t a bad version. And I see why it was necessary. Good ’nuff
There Goes the Neighborhood
1 Star
There Goes The Neighborhood by S. Reed
I stopped working with a book tour company because they wouldn’t let me be honest about this book ever. So I won’t be. Loved ALL of it. <3<3<3<3
Percy Jackson's Greek Gods
3 Stars
Percy Jackson’s Greek Gods by Rick Riordan, Jesse Bernstein (Narrator)
If Percy Jackson edited D’Aulaires’s book you’d get this. A great way to introduce the myths to young readers. Bernstein is a spot-on Percy.
Percy Jackson's Greek Heroes
3.5 Stars
Percy Jackson’s Greek Heroes by Rick Riordan, Jesse Bernstein (Narrator)
See above, but with heroes.
I Will Judge You
3 Stars
I Will Judge You by Your Bookshelf by Grant Snider
If someone looked into my brain, took all of my ideas and feelings, and improved them, you’d get this book. But only one-third as good as this.
All These Worlds
3.5 Stars
All These Worlds by Dennis E. Taylor, Ray Porter (Narrator)
Taylor and Porter are unbeatable together. This is funny (duh), and the grief and sadness are real. As is the anger. Is the ending too easy?
The Fellowship of the Ring
5 Stars
The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien, Andy Serkis (Narrator)
Serkis nails the narration (as you’d expect). Is there a better first book of a series in Fantasy?
The Two Towers
4 Stars
The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien, Andy Serkis (Narrator)
Serkis is tremendous here. This whole book is ridiculously good.
The Return of the King
5 Stars
The Return of the King by by J.R.R. Tolkien, Andy Serkis (Narrator)
One day the pacing on this won’t surprise me. The book gets better every time. Serkis was phenomenal.
Annihilation Aria
4 Stars
Annihilation Aria by Michael R. Underwood
Found family stars in this fun, space opera about archeologists fighting an empire.
The Cartel
5 Stars
The Cartel by Don Winslow
The best of the trilogy. Shocking. Moving. Gripping. All-too-real—if you told me this was non-fiction, I’d almost believe it. A true classic.

My Favorite Non-Crime Fiction of 2023

2023 Favorite Non-Crime
Back when I started this site, I knew the content would be largely “genre”-oriented. I’d have wagered the content would be roughly 1/3 Mystery/Detective fiction, 1/3 Urban Fantasy, and slightly less than 1/3 SFF, with “non-genre” fiction, humor, and non-fiction being enough to make my one-thirds just an approximation (honestly, if you asked me what I read regularly, that’s pretty much how I’d describe it today). Actual numbers show that’s wrong—it’s typically almost 40% Crime/Thriller Fiction, the rest of fiction is around 30% combined. This is just a long-winded way to get to these two points: because Crime Fiction takes such a big chunk of my reading, it gets its own “Favorite” list, but none of the others really garner enough numbers for their own.

When it comes to this particular list of favorites this year, it was harder than I expected. I got it down to 17 with relatively no problem. But trimming those last 7 was difficult. I waffled a bit—and considered a top 15, but I talked myself out of it and have a list of 10 favorite non-Crime Fiction Novels of 2023 that I really like. Hopefully, you will, too.

As always, re-reads don’t count—only the works that were new to me.

(in alphabetical order by author)

Chain-Gang All-StarsChain-Gang All-Stars

by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah

My original post
If there’s a book I’ve recommended more frequently this year, I can’t think of it. I’ve also bought more copies of it to give away than any other. At the core, this is a satire and critique of the American culture–particularly as it relates to sports, mass entertainment, and (most importantly) the carceral system. Pitting convicted felons against each other in gladiatorial fights-to-death, selling merch featuring them, turning them into Reality TV personalities between bouts…Adjei-Brenyah holds up the worst of the US to look at.

It’s a book about death—violent death at the hands of violent people who only hope to go on so they can kill again—However, in a serious way the book is really about life. It’s a celebration of life, a call to protect it, a call to see it for what it is. It’s a reminder that “where life is precious, life is precious.” It’s impossible to read this without being moved–perhaps to action. But it’s also a visceral and exciting read that can entertain you without forcing you to think deeply about what it wants you to.

(I don’t know why I knocked it 1/2 a star at the time…I can’t think of a reason for it now, but…)

4 1/2 Stars

Partial FunctionPartial Function

by JCM Berne

My original post
This has none of the socially redeeming characteristics of the above book. But it does have wuxia-inspired magical martial arts, super-powered dinosaur-like monsters, a John Wick/Bryan Mills character if played by Michelle Yeoh, and snappy dialogue. It’s a story about a retired warrior who gets back to work so she can rescue her kidnapped daughters and the wake of destruction that follows (a mighty wake it is, too). And it’s just fun from beginning to end.

5 Stars

The Perception Of DollsThe Perception Of Dolls

by Anthony Croix, Edited by Russell Day

My original post
I did an inadequate job of describing this book and what I was blown away by in 15 paragraphs. There’s no way I’m going to manage it in the 1-2 paragraphs I give myself for this.
I’m dazzled by this book. I was hooked to an extent I’m not used to. I was captivated. I was (at least momentarily) obsessed with it. That’s worn off in the 50 weeks it’s been since I’ve finished, but it would take me no more than 5 pages of a re-read to get back to that. This is a recounting of one investigative reporter’s look into a triple homicide and attempted suicide in a home, the paranormal research that occurred in that home decades later, and the very strange (to put it mildly) things that happened to everyone involved in both of those things.

Russell Day takes you on a ride that you will find difficult to articulate (which is fine, he does a fine job of it on his own) and that will linger in the back of your mind for a long time.

5 Stars

The Hero InterviewsThe Hero Interviews

by Andi Ewington

My original post
The child and sibling of heroic adventurers, Elburn Barr, has taken a different path in life—one fit for someone with his particular set of skills (or lack thereof). He is a Loremaster—no spells, weapons, or danger for him, thank you very much. At this point in his life/career, Elburn has set out to understand what makes a hero tick—what is it that drives them, what early influences molded them, how do they keep going on? Does it vary from type to type? Are Barbarians made of different stuff from a Cleric or a Thief? What about a Ranger or a Wizard? In addition to interviewing various leading examples of each type of hero, he talks to non-heroes, too. Like a farmer whose farm was saved(?) by some heroes from a dragon, the curator of a hero museum, people who run/design dungeons, etc.

This is a novel trying to look like a series of comic episodes/scenes/lines. It takes a while to see the plotlines emerge—it really does seem to be a light-hearted look at D&D clichés, stereotypes, tropes, etc. at the beginning—but eventually, you start to see the story arcs emerging and even start to see the protagonist grow and develop. That’s something I didn’t expect to see when I started reading this because I did think it was just a series of comedic bits. It’s hard to tell if Ewington is more interested in telling a story or making his jokes—in the end he gives you enough of both that the question is academic.

4 Stars

Not PreparedNot Prepared

by Matthew Hanover

My original post
Hanover’s fourth novel is the first to have a protagonist outside of their 20s, and the added maturity pays off. While this book is at heart a Rom-Com, the romantic story takes a backseat to the love story between the girl who needs a family and a bachelor who didn’t expect one. There’s still plenty of “rom”, and a good amount of “com” of a handful of stripes (particularly when it comes to a single man being thrust into dealing with a young girl at the cusp of puberty)—but there’s a lot more, too. Told with Hanover’s trademark wit, charm, and grace—prose that moves so smoothly you don’t realize how long you’ve spent sucked into his book. The emotions are real and grounded—both positively and negatively. His depictions of anxiety really impressed me, and there are scenes that got me choked up.

4 1/2 Stars

An Inheritance of MagicAn Inheritance of Magic

by Benedict Jacka

My original post
Any fears anyone had about Jacka’s post-Alex Verus career should have been assuaged by this book. It’s an introduction to a new kind of magic, a new kind of magic society, and a protagonist who is so different from Verus that you wouldn’t guess that Jacka wrote it if you didn’t have his name all over the place. This is kind of the reverse of the Hanover book—Jacka moves on from a mature character who knows his place in the world to one who is immature, unsure of his own abilities, and a complete beginner to the magical society of England (and, presumably, the rest of the world). And Jacka nails all of it. I couldn’t believe how easily I took to this world and I anticipate getting more immersed in it.

4 1/2 Stars

Mrs. Covington'sMrs. Covington’s

by K.R.R. Lockhaven

My original post
The thing with Cozy Fantasy is that the plot comes second (if not tertiary) to things like character and atmosphere. Mrs. Covington’s shines here–it’s such a pleasant, comfy atmosphere that it trumps everything else. A treasure hunt with the staff of the friendliest bar this side of Cheers! might be the plot of this cozy fantasy novel. But the book’s core is kindness, community, optimism, and helping. Also, Nachos. Brought to you in a great fantasy world with a light and engaging voice, Mrs. Covington’s will leave you snug and content.

4 Stars

On the Savage SideOn the Savage Side

by Tiffany McDaniel

My original post
This was just a brutal read. Every time you get a glimmer of hope, a glimmer of a feeling that things might be okay for some of these characters—something snuffs it out. But there’s another source right around the corner. But there’s beauty in the darkness. And a drive to keep persevering shared by the reader and the characters. I wondered more than once why some of them kept trying—but they did. There’s a serial killer on the loose, and a good deal of the plot is about that. But this isn’t about the hunt for the killer or anything like that. It’s a novel about the women who may be his target and their fears about it. It’s also about the rest of their lives—how they got to the point where the killer might be hunting them and what might happen if they get out of there.

Like always, Tiffany McDaniels delivered a book that’s going to stay in my subconscious for a while—lurking there, making me rethink what I read from time to time. It’ll probably stay there until her next novel comes along (Betty‘s been there for a couple of years, and really only was dislodged by this one—and The Summer that Melted Everything is still there all these years later). It’s somber, it’s sober, and it’s difficult to read. But it’s so worth it in ways I cannot adequately explain. It’ll make you think. It’ll make you feel.

4 1/2 Stars

According to MarkAccording to Mark

by H. B. O’Neill
Unlike the first 8 books on this list, I haven’t written anything about this until now. The pitch I was given about the book was, “It’s about a love affair gone wrong and a guy who’s obsessed with Mark Twain who becomes a voice in his head that eventually leads to Twain pushing the fella towards suicide.” I don’t know if this makes it sound appealing to you or not. So let me say this: If Chain-Gang All-Stars is the book I’ve recommended most this year, then According to Mark is in 3rd or 4th place. Given that I read it at the end of November, that tells you how much I’ve been talking about it lately. It’s comic. It’s dark. It’s disturbing (on more levels and in more ways than I can describe). There’s a fantastic and real love story in the center of it. It’s heartbreakingly sad. If you’ve read anything like this before now, I’d be surprised (and I want to know what it is!), but you’re going to want to read this when it’s published soon.

There’s more I should say, but I’m going to do it in a longer format.

5 Stars

Guards! Guards!Guards! Guards!

by Terry Pratchett
I spent some time earlier this fall asking for recommendations to get me to give Discworld another shot—and overwhelmingly, this book was recommended to me. Everyone who did that was utterly correct. It’s one of the best mixes of story and comedy that I can recall reading and I can see after a re-read or two (which it’ll almost certainly get from me) that at least one book in this series within the Discworld series is going to end up in my pantheon of comedic greats. I’m working hard to ensure I get to the rest of these in 2024 because now that I understand what I was missing with Pratchett, I don’t want to miss out any longer.

4 1/2 Stars

The Chimes by Charles Dickens: A Different Set of Bells You Don’t Want Tolling for You

The ChimesThe Chimes

by Charles Dickens

DETAILS:
Publisher: Fahrenheit Press
Publication Date: November 15, 2023
Format: eBook
Length: 94 pg.
Read Date: December 21-22, 2023
Buy from Bookshop.org Support Indie Bookstores

There are not many people—and as it is desirable that a story-teller and a story-reader should establish a mutual understanding as soon as possible, I beg it to be noticed that I confine this observation neither to young people nor to little people, but extend it to all conditions of people: little and big, young and old: yet growing up, or already growing down again—there are not, I say, many people who would care to sleep in a church. I don’t mean at sermon-time in warm weather (when the thing has actually been done, once or twice), but in the night, and alone.

What’s The Chimes About?

Apparently, the original title of this was: The Chimes: A Goblin Story of Some Bells that Rang an Old Year Out and a New Year In. But for pretty obvious reasons, people shortened the name to The Chimes when talking about it, and this edition went with the short version, too.

The Chimes are the bells in a church steeple–powerful goblin spirits reside in them, (not everyone gets to see the goblins–or this’d be a very different kind of story). Our protagonist, Trotty, is summoned to the steeple by these bells. Bells he’s lived under for years and has come to love their ringing. However, he’s now called to account by them for…essentially losing faith in humanity and disparaging them. Particularly lower-class humanity–like he’s part of.

Trotty is a ticket-porter, barely scraping by–but is a hearty, cheerful man. His daughter is in love with someone who hopes to marry her soon. But Trotty reads something in the news one day (inspired by a true story, incidentally) that makes him doubt people’s goodness. This is followed by him being hired by/interacting with an Alderman and an MP who look down the poor, exacerbating Trotty’s dismay.

These bells show Trotty a future in which he dies that night and how the ripples from his death impact the lives of several of his acquaintances. Very much in a Ghost of Christmas Future kind of way. But these are darker futures than anything Scrooge saw, if you ask me.

Trotty repents of his negative outlook and does something in this vision that proves his sincerity. He’s brought back to the present and life is good–even better than it was thanks to his attitude adjustment.

Oversimplification, I know, but I’m still trying to stay away from details. It’s only been in print for 179 years…

These Guys are The WORST

So this year I’ve read about misanthropes, mass murderers, people who kill without remorse, people who target minorities for fun, demons and other monsters, etc., but I’m honestly not sure that there were people who disgusted me and enraged me nearly as much as Alderman Cute and Sir Joseph Bowley.

Bowley loves to think of himself as a benefactor to the poor, a charitable soul…listen to him brag about it a bit (to an actual poor person),

Every New Year’s Day, myself and friends will drink his [a generic poor person’s] health. Once every year, myself and friends will address him with the deepest feeling….‘I do my duty as the Poor Man’s Friend and Father; and I endeavour to educate his mind, by inculcating on all occasions the one great moral lesson which that class requires. That is, entire Dependence on myself. They have no business whatever with— with themselves.

He does (at least in the vision), bring poor people into a great New Year’s feast with his guests so they can see he and his friends drink to their health and hear paternalistic (at best) speeches about how they need to better themselves, although they probably can’t because if they could…well, they wouldn’t be poor, after all.

Cute dissuades Trotty’s daughter and her beloved from marrying because it’s not like they’ll be able to subsist on whatever money they can eke out–and they’ll just end up having kids they can’t afford to feed, and thereby expanding the need for welfare and whatnot.

Sure, Dickens was probably exaggerating for satirical purposes. But I doubt it was much. And it’d be really easy to imagine these despicable guys as contemporary figures.

Dickens’ Writing

He saw the tower, whither his charmed footsteps had brought him, swarming with dwarf phantoms, spirits, elfin creatures of the Bells. He saw them leaping, flying, dropping, pouring from the Bells without a pause. He saw them, round him on the ground; above him, in the air; clambering from him, by the ropes below; looking down upon him, from the massive iron- girded beams; peeping in upon him, through the chinks and loopholes in the walls; spreading away and away from him in enlarging circles, as the water ripples give way to a huge stone that suddenly comes plashing in among them. He saw them, of all aspects and all shapes. He saw them ugly, handsome, crippled, exquisitely formed. He saw them young, he saw them old, he saw them kind, he saw…

When Dickens first introduced the goblins (and I only gave you a sample), I really enjoyed it. And was reminded that he typically got paid by the word. Not necessarily for this novella–but the impulse was still there. Because the man can go on…never using 5 words when 20 will do.

I have zero problems with it in this novella–but it jumps out at you occasionally.

A few other lines that jumped out at me that I want to bring up…they’re so good.

‘There’s nothing,’ said Toby, ‘more regular in its coming round than dinner- time, and nothing less regular in its coming round than dinner. That’s the great difference between ’em. It’s took me a long time to find it out.’

This gentleman had a very red face, as if an undue proportion of the blood in his body were squeezed up into his head; which perhaps accounted for his having also the appearance of being rather cold about the heart.

‘The good old times, the good old times!’ The gentleman didn’t specify what particular times he alluded to; nor did he say whether he objected to the present times, from a disinterested consciousness that they had done nothing very remarkable in producing himself.

(I’m forever going to be thinking of this anytime I hear someone talk about the good old days)

So, what did I think about The Chimes?

I’m told that the hardcover is gorgeous–I ordered this late, so I can’t confirm (I’ll try to remember to update this post when I get it). The cover looks pretty neat, though. I bring this up so you’ll think about getting your hands on this hardcover edition for your own personal use/shelf decoration.

But what about the novella itself? I dug it. I know I don’t read enough Dickens–and never have. But when I’m exposed to him, I regret many of my life choices that lead to this dearth (not so much regret that I see that I’ll change that anytime soon). I really appreciated his writing, his characters (even the ones I spent time hating). I would’ve appreciated a little more time with some of the characters, but we didn’t need it.

The way the bells show Trotty the future really did make me think of the Ghost of Christmas Future, I know they inspired It’s a Wonderful Life, but I got more of the former vibe than the latter. I’d like for people to tell me what I’m missing, incidentally. Either way, I liked the way Dickens uses this tool to get people to change their way of thinking, even if he uses it too frequently.

The social commentary was well done (if heavy-handed), and probably needed as much then as now. And probably as effective then as now. Oh well, would be nice to think otherwise.

It’s a quick read that packs a powerful punch with some clever writing. If you’re like me, and have never heard of this novella before, take advantage of this opportunity to pick it up. If you’re a better-educated reader and are familiar with it–isn’t it about time to re-familiarize yourself?


4 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.
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How to Be Eaten (Audiobook) by Maria Adelmann, Lauren Ezzo (Narrator): DNF Due to General Unpleasantness

How to Be EatenHow to Be Eaten

by Maria Adelmann, Lauren Ezzo (Narrator)

DETAILS:
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Publication Date: May 31, 2022
Format: Unabridged Audiobook
Length: 8 hrs., 39 min.
Read Date: November 16-17, 2024
Buy from Bookshop.org Support Indie Bookstores

What’s How to Be Eaten About?

According to the Publisher’s site:

…This darkly funny and provocative novel reimagines classic fairy tale characters as modern women in a support group for trauma.

In present-day New York City, five women meet in a basement support group to process their traumas. Bernice grapples with the fallout of dating a psychopathic, blue-bearded billionaire. Ruby, once devoured by a wolf, now wears him as a coat. Gretel questions her memory of being held captive in a house made of candy. Ashlee, the winner of a Bachelor-esque dating show, wonders if she really got her promised fairy tale ending. And Raina’s love story will shock them all.

Though the women start out wary of one another, judging each other’s stories, gradually they begin to realize that they may have more in common than they supposed . . . What really brought them here? What secrets will they reveal? And is it too late for them to rescue each other?

​Dark, edgy, and wickedly funny, this debut for readers of Carmen Maria Machado, Kristen Arnett, and Kelly Link takes our coziest, most beloved childhood stories, exposes them as anti-feminist nightmares, and transforms them into a new kind of myth for grown-up women.

So, Why Didn’t I Finish How to Be Eaten?

Let me get this out of the way: it had nothing to do with Ezzo’s narration. The characterizations, the pacing, the performance, and so on were at least perfectly acceptable, perhaps they were really strong, depending on the element you were focused on. Overall, everything fits in between those two extremes.

It wasn’t necessarily even Adelmann’s text–it could be a problem with me. I don’t think so, because I can usually tell when that’s the case and I’ll put the book on a mental “try again” shelf. I won’t be doing that here.

Now, I didn’t go into this with expectations of loving it–I thought it could be a frequently entertaining and even-more-frequently provocative novel. I do appreciate when authors take something as old as one of the tales immortalized by the Grimm Brothers and tweak it to a contemporary meaning, setting, or use (in this case, seemingly all of the above). This had the makings of a book that I’d probably appreciate, and maybe find insightful (and possibly becoming something I truly liked). Alas, it was none of the above. I thought the areas that were provocative (or I think were supposed to be) were tawdry in the attempt to be so. The characters were flat and not likable in uninteresting ways.

I thought Bernice’s story was intriguing enough. I got most of the way (I think) through Ruby’s tale as well before I pulled the plug. There was just something…ugly about the book (best word I could come up with). I couldn’t muster up vague curiosity about the individual characters’ endpoint, just what the point of the trauma therapy was (I have a hunch it was some sort of exploitation on the part of the therapist, that was hopefully going to be thwarted by the participants), or if we were going to find out finally that all of this was wholly naturalistic or if there was some sort of supernatural force at work.

I wasn’t enjoying myself. I was forcing myself to hit “play” after each time I had to hit pause for work. I kept thinking about playing music instead. I really had no idea if or when that might change, and decided that life was too short to keep this particular experiment going.

I think it’s wholly possible that I’m wrong about the book–and post this in the hope that someone will see it and be intrigued enough to try it anyway, or that one of my readers will fill up the comments with some spoilery comments telling me what I missed (including a list of the reasons I was short-sighted to DNF). Oh, also, because I try to point out the times I do actually DNF something because it is rare, and I appreciate the novelty.


0 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.
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Healed by Carrie Alani: She Can’t Do This All on Her Own

HealedHealed

by Carrie Alani

DETAILS:
Publication Date: August 13, 2023
Format: PDF
Length: 357 pg.
Read Date: October 19-23, 2023

What’s Healed About?

I’m pretty sure I’ve said this before, but after deciding to read a book, I basically forget whatever it was that I read it was about. That’s certainly the case here, in the month and a half between being sent it and opening it up, I’d forgotten everything—I dimly remembered it was about a nurse. That was it.

I was right, Cuppy Valentine is a nurse—she has been working for some time now for a urologist, who isn’t the best guy in the world, but he pays pretty well. Cuppy supplements this wage by picking up shifts here and there when she can and where there’s a need. Because this is 21st Century America, there’s always a need—she works in a Pediatric ICU, covers shifts for patients in hospice, and so on. She doesn’t have much of a social life—and will frequently work instead of dating. There’s one pretty cute doctor in the Pediatric ICU, however…

But the most important thing to know about Cuppy is that she works hard to care for her patients—no matter age, class, gender, etc.—or her fellow nurses. This will frequently involve flaunting/bending/fracturing rules/protocols/laws on their behalf. Think Nurse Jackie without the affairs or drug addiction.

That’s what we see for the first 40% or so of the book—Cuppy bouncing between the urology office and various assignments. We meet some patients, we see their distress, we occasionally laugh at situations the jerks find themselves in, we feel bad for the sympathetic ones, and our hearts break over the children kept alive by machines in the ICU.

Then (and this is what I’d forgotten, but it’s in the description so I can say it), Cuppy is given a gift (or a curse). She can heal people by her touch alone. She can hardly believe it—but she can. She begins going around and helping favorite patients, people she’s watched suffer for months and years—and then she broadens her horizons.

Cuppy’s aunt/surrogate-mother, a friend, the aforementioned cute doctor, a local Roman Catholic parish priest, a medical researcher, and more try to direct how she uses this ability. A would-be radio personality/medical specimen driver and a washed-up medical reporter have their own ideas for Cuppy. Legions want her help. All Cuppy wants to do is to help some people—but what’s the best way?

The Tone of the Book

It’s tricky to do medical-based humor—as anyone who’s watched a movie or TV show about it can tell you (the writers, cast, and directors can probably tell you more about it)—particularly if you want to get the medicine right. Alani frequently hits it right—basing things in a urology office probably helps. We all tend to laugh a little easier at things involving that set of plumbing—if only as a defense mechanism.

But she gets the serious stuff right, too. Those dealing with cancer, loneliness, and other heart-breaking conditions—especially the elderly and the very, very young—aren’t treated as avenues for comedy, we get to see them in their honestly tragic settings.

So, what did I think about Healed?

I wasn’t crazy about the way the book started—but I’d gotten into the groove of the episodic nature. It was enjoyable enough, but a series of set pieces like we were given is almost never going to be something I celebrate.

But when she gained her abilities, the book really took off. I’m not 100% sure I liked how Cuppy was treated by the author for the last half of the book—she really lost a lot of her maverick nature and agency. Alani largely justified it through circumstance—and eventually Cuppy started being herself again, but I think it went on too long without it.

I didn’t buy—or care one whit about—the love story. I think there’s a better way for Alani to get the doctor and his point of view into Cuppy’s story. But it wouldn’t surprise me to find I’m in the minority there.

Her fellow nurse and the receptionist in the Urology office (along with a couple of patients) made this book for me, though. They ground Cuppy, tell us more about her than the narration does, and get you to like her.

Occasionally—and Cuppy’s not around when this happens—Alani’s humor gets mean and insulting, usually in a condescending manner. That turned me off big time. Frequently, that has something to do with someone in the media (but not always). Perhaps she was trying to say something bigger about reporters, the press, TV/Radio personalities—but it fell flat. Maybe Alani had to cut some bigger pieces of that somewhere along the way that would’ve made these sections work, and inadvertently left these brief bits in where they stood out a little more. I don’t know—but it would’ve helped to cut all of those things.

The first chapter in the pediatric ICU was heartwrenching. Cuppy’s take on what we do to keep a little one alive—at the costs for the children and families (on all levels)—is likely to make you uncomfortable. And that’s the point. Even if you ultimately disagree with her (as I do), it’s something we should all think more about.

I do recommend this to those who read medical comedies/dramas and can appreciate a little supernatural element to them. Healed is an occasionally bumpy ride, but it’s an enjoyable one.

Disclaimer: I received this book from the author via Exclusive PR in exchange for this post and my honest opinion—thanks to both for this.


3 Stars

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Farsickness by Joshua Mohr: A Surreal Pilgrimage

FarsicknessFarsickness

by Joshua Mohr

DETAILS:
Publisher: House of Vlad Press
Format: eARC
Length: 140 pgs. 
Read Date: September 8-9, 2023
Buy from Bookshop.org Support Indie Bookstores

A Quick Vocabulary Lesson

Leave it to our Teutonic friends to have a word for every occasion—in this case, we’re talking about “Fernweh.” Briefly, it’s the opposite of homesickness. It’s a longing for a far-off place, a farsickness. Not necessarily a particular place, but frequently it is one. The desire to travel would be another way to put it.

What’s Farsickness About?

Hal—he doesn’t really remember much about himself beyond his name—is hearing a voice inside his head. A voice telling him to go home. To go to Scotland (a place Hal doesn’t think he’s ever been, so how is it home?), to a particular castle there. Hal decides to call this voice “Fern” (from Fernweh, in case it wasn’t clear why I started talking about it) and does what Fern tells him to. Hal asks a lot of questions, only some of which get answers.

Then like Dante with Virgil, Christian with Evangelist (and others), Hal is taken on a journey once he gets off the plane in Scotland that is so strange, so fraught with peril and symbolism, and the difficult to explain, that I’m not going to bother trying. But in the end, Hal is taken on the journey to the places he’s really longing for.

So, what did I think about Farsickness?

The writing here—regardless what you think of what and who Mohr’s writing about—is worth your time. He’s got some of the nicest, most evocative phrases and sentences I’ve come across this year. They can make you grin until you remember he’s describing something horrible (or just plain weird). I think some passages would be great to read aloud—or listen to—just because of the sounds. There’s a scene of a submarine sinking, for example, it was a pure pleasure to read, the imagery was fantastic, it was a little funny, the vocabulary was vivid—and yet, it was about a manned vehicle going down. I tell you what, Tom Clancy, couldn’t have done it better (and he’d have taken multiple pages rather than the very tight paragraph or two Mohr used)—or as well.

I only have an ARC, so I’m not going to quote from it, just in case something changed—so you don’t get samples, but I’m telling you, it’s great. Think Lance Olsen, Mark Richard, or (because those names are likely too obscure) a decaffeinated Mark Leyner, and you’re on the right track. Kind of.

I’m clearly having trouble talking about that, so let’s move on to the who and what.

The more I think about it (and I’ve spent longer on it than I anticipated), I don’t know that Hal actually had fernweh. I think it’s something else—or we’re talking a metaphorical other place he wants to go. Or he thought he had fernweh, but was mistaken/confused/deceived. And…ugh. it’s hard to talk about what I’m trying to say without a lot of citations and deep-diving. It’s just something to think about as you read, I guess—”is ‘fernweh’ an appropriate term?” I actually think it adds another layer or three to things if Hal wasn’t feeling that after all. Not that it’s a bad or misleading title. I’m just wondering if we need to ponder it a while.

I’m also tempted to say that I’m overthinking things. But I’m reasonably sure that Mohr wouldn’t agree that I was.

(this would be so much easier to talk about if you had all read the book already. Why don’t you all agree to go read it right now and come back in 140 pages or so to read the rest of my post about why you should read it? Yeah…there’s something about that proposal that doesn’t work.)

Farsickness is one of those books that will tempt you almost immediately to try and figure out “what’s really going on,” to dive into the symbolism and other figurative representations to get to the bottom of things. I’d encourage you not to, just let Mohr and Hal take you along this surreal exploration of parts unknown (or are they?). Just let it unfold—relatively quickly you’ll start to think, “Oh, this is about ____.” Not long after that, you’ll know, “this is about ____.” Then you’ll start to see why it’s about ____, and why it matters. And everything you wondered about at the beginning will make utter sense. Then you’ll get some resolution to the story. Yeah, you could suss it out early on if you set your mind to it—but I think it’s a more satisfying experience (at least with this novel), if you let Mohr do the work.

Also, that approach lets you soak in and enjoy the very peculiar characters and imagery. Both of those deserve discussions of 500-1000 words a piece, but I’m not the writer to provide that.

There’s a pretty simple—and heart-tugging and sweet—story at the center of all this. But the 3+ licks to get to that Tootsie Roll center are enjoyable in their own way—and might do a little heart-tugging of their own. Yes, that candy shell is about trauma, healing, violence, forgiveness, and horror. But it’s not presented in a way that will make it too difficult to read. Like Hal, I didn’t know where I’d end up when I started the journey through Farsickness and I ended up far away from where I started—but it was absolutely worth the time (actually, it’d have been worth longer than it took, too).

This is no straightforward narrative, but the prose isn’t terribly dense and is fairly effortless to get through. After a few pages, you won’t notice it at all, Mohr will have sucked you into his absurd little reality and you’ll be turning pages like this is a thriller. I don’t know that I’d have gone out of my way for this (particularly with the cover), but I’m very glad Farsickness came across my path, and I wager you will be, too, if you give it a chance.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from the author and Lori Hettler of The Next Best Book Club in exchange for this post—thanks to both for this.


4 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.
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Shadow Ranch by Rebecca Carey Lyles: One of the Vilest Villains You’ll Find This Year

Be sure to check back a little later this morning for a Q&A with the author about this book and her writing in general.


Shadow RanchShadow Ranch

by Rebecca Carey Lyles

DETAILS:
Series: Children of the Light, Book One
Publication Date: April 24, 2022
Format: eBook
Length: 380 pg.
Read Date: August 4-8, 2023
Buy from Bookshop.org Support Indie Bookstores

What’s Shadow Ranch About?

So, I knew going in that this book was about a woman who ended up as part of a polygamous cult—so there’s no way that things are going to go well for Kasenia as we meet her. But even if I didn’t know that, after half of a page of dialogue between her and her romantic interest—you know that this guy is a creep. He might as well be named Redd Flagg, the heir of the vast Crimson Banner Estate (actually, I’m going to call him that for the rest of the post, just because).

Quite possibly because Kasenia has no girlfriends or confidantes to help her see how creepy Redd is, she falls for him. And almost instantly, things get worse—he’s a horrible, controlling husband, but she’s trying to make things worse. Then Redd turns on the charm—why don’t Kasenia and her brother come out to his family’s ranch for the weekend? Kasenia drags her younger brother along (he’s on to Redd—at least to a degree) and they head out for a chance to rekindle their marriage.

Of course, his family consists of multiple other wives (none of whom are happy to see her), enough kids to fill a schoolroom, and a few foster kids (there’s an ethnic and language difference between the foster children and Redd’s own). Between a combination of threats, guards, isolation (geographic and technological), and psychological manipulation, Redd has created a family full of people that are (almost entirely) devoted to him, and work themselves constantly to earn money for him and to earn approval from him.

Kasenia is determined to find a way out for herself and her brother—when she discovers that there’s more to Redd’s debauchery and devilry than she’d realized. The stakes are higher than ever—will she be able to find freedom for those he’s a threat to?

A Little More about Redd Flagg

Now I fully realize that when you’ve got someone with megalomaniacal tendencies like Redd, you’re going to find someone with a lot of messed up qualities. No one who deceives and manipulates a young woman into joining his group of wives—and keeps her as one through threat of violence (that he does follow through with to some extent) is in any sense a good guy. Moreover, I know that Lyles did some research and that there are more people like this in the U.S. than anyone wants to think about.

Still, I couldn’t help but think that Redd was too evil. “Like so evil, that you would say it was E-VEEL.” Every time you think you’ve found the depth of his moral void, there’s a new level of despicableness. Yes, that’s a common thing in fiction (or life), but it just felt like Lyles was laying it on a bit too thick.

Manipulative and abusive is enough—you’ve got yourself a true villain right there. But once she starts adding the other crimes that he’s committed and/or planning to commit? I’m not sure the reader or the story needed that.

I Was Uneasy About…

It’s a risky thing (for storytelling reasons and, more importantly, for the risk of blaspheming) to bring God into a work of fiction as an actor in the story. Multiple times characters who are trying to free themselves from Redd will pray and instantly—or quickly—something will happen that could be interpreted as an answer to that prayer. Is it possible for the reader or someone in the text to interpret these happenings as coincidental? Sure. But not one single character does—they all see the good things happening to them after praying as a direct answer to that prayer.

I absolutely am convinced that prayer works—but I don’t think it works like a bunch of kids praying for help getting away from a gunman and suddenly a mountain lion shows up to frighten off the gunman.

Using prayer like that almost turns God into a genie in the bottle—or at least those praying into Magicians with just the right spells ready to get the heroes out of danger.

I absolutely appreciate and celebrate Lyles taking prayer seriously, demonstrating people acting in faith and trust in the Most High with integrity and not turning them into hypocrites or anything. I also think she doesn’t go over the line to treat God as a genie—but she walks right up to that line. It makes me uneasy (at best) to read on several levels, though.

So, what did I think about Shadow Ranch?

Overall, there’s a lot to commend about this book. It reeks of research into situations like this one, it’s full of distinct and clearly drawn characters. Many of these characters are really well-developed and (largely) well-rounded—a mixture of good and bad qualities, understandable motives, and repulsive actions. The tension and the pacing are enough to keep propelling the reader through the twists and make it hard to put down without knowing what happens next.

According to the Internet—and a book I read in grade school (so I’m more inclined to believe it, but not much)—Abraham Lincoln in trying not to say he didn’t like a book said, “People who like this sort of thing will find this the sort of thing they like.” That’s very much what I want to say about this book. Let me rush to say that I did not dislike the book, but it wasn’t for me. I know there’s an audience out there who really get into this kind of thing (The Lifetime Movie Network alone proves that), but you’re not going to count me as part of it.

In a Q&A Lyles did with me months ago, she mentioned that her novels always have a happy ending. That alone kept me reading, just to see how she pulled it off—and there were a handful of times I considered abandoning the book. The ending could’ve been dark. It could’ve been ambiguous. It could’ve ended up in a pretty twisted and sordid way. But no, Lyles stuck with her pledge and provided a happy ending (that’s not too cheesy).

I do think the touch of romance (that didn’t involve Flagg or anything toxic) was a little out of place, and possibly unbelievable—definitely misguided on the part of the characters. But it feels on brand from what I can tell about Lyles’s work, so ignore me.

Again, there are people who will like this sort of book—and more power to them. If you think you’re likely in that camp in any way—read this. I think you’ll be rewarded. If you’re leery of it? I’m not going to tell you to give it a chance—trust your instinct. There are books that I’d approach differently, and encourage people to take a risk. Shadow Ranch isn’t one of those—it delivers what it promises.


3 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.
20 Books of Summer

Norah’s Ark by Victoria Williamson: I Think This is the Beginning of a Beautiful Friendship

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Norah's ArkNorah’s Ark

by Victoria Williamson

DETAILS:
Publisher: Neem Tree Press
Publication Date: August 29, 2023 
Format: eARC
Length: 304 pg.
Read Date: August 26-28, 2023

What’s Norah’s Ark About?

This is a book about a couple of eleven-year-olds in the English city of Hull who bond over their mutual attempts to help animals. Starting with a nest of baby birds who’ve been orphaned by a hungry cat, these two overcome various barriers (largely in the form of their parents) to various stray and abandoned animals they encounter. Along the way, they end up helping each other through some of the bigger challenges they’ve faced.

Norah (and her father)

Norah’s father lost his job a few years ago, which led to them losing their home. Since then they’ve bounced from one temporary housing situation to another, barely scraping by on his benefits and whatever short-term and low-paying jobs he can get. They attend a church regularly—and gorge themselves on the post-service snacks. They also use a food bank from time to time—but it’s hard for her father to swallow his pride and deal with the judgemental looks they receive when they do (how many of these looks are only in his mind, it’s hard to tell—but some of them are real).

Norah has some learning disabilities, too—and she’s never in one school long enough to really get the help she needs. Which leaves her open to being bullied while she falls further and further behind.

Norah loves animals and would do anything for a pet. Because she can’t get one due to their housing situation—well, other than the spiders she keeps on her window sill—she does what she can for whatever strays she finds like the aforementioned birds. She takes care of them for a while until one day they’re missing. They and their whole nest—what could’ve possibly happened?

Then she sees some rich boy on the other side of the fence carrying that nest. It’s not fair—he has so much already, a great house, a big yard, a treehouse, fancy clothes (that fit!), and whatever he wants to eat (he is a little overweight).

Adam (and his parents)

Adam and his parents moved from London to Hull a few years ago to help him get the specialized treatment he needed for leukemia. It’s in remission now, but his mom has become overprotective following his diagnosis. Since she had to leave her job to care for him (and hasn’t thought about going back to work), his father has to work harder than before and really has no time for anything else—even Adam.

He can’t go anywhere without her. He can’t go back to school—even if the doctors say he’s not as immunocompromised as he once was, his mother still insists on a private tutor. He can’t go swimming—he’d dreamed of going to the Olympics before he got sick—again, because of all the exposure to germs, people, and other things that could hurt him. His treatments and lack of exercise have left him out of shape. He’s lonely. All he wants is a friend and to do something outside his home.

When he discovers that the neighbor’s mean (at least to him) cat has eaten the mother bird, he takes the nest up to his treehouse (without his mother noticing and panicking about the filthy animals). He notices a girl on the other side of the fence quickly riding off on her bike—what a great life she must have—able to go wherever she wants!

The Grass Ain’t Always Greener…

Soon, the two actually meet and decide to work together to help the birds get to safety.

They learn more about each other—both discovering the struggles the other has gone through. They have unfortunate encounters with bullies and thieves—and discover their parents want them to have nothing to do with each other.

But neither of them has really had a friend in a long time and they’re unwilling to lose their new one. So they do what they can to keep that friendship—even if that means being disobedient. Both kids soon have to deal with new problems with their parents and need someone to rely on.

So, what did I think about Norah’s Ark?

That’s a really good question, one that I’ve been chewing on for a few days now.

I do have a few concerns. For example, both Norah and Adam (Adam is a bit more prone to this) can be too mature and understanding for their ages when it comes to their parents and what motivates them. Most of the time, Williamson gets them right—unreliable narrators (not because they’re dishonest, but because they’re 11 and don’t get everything the adults are doing) who are doing their best to make it in the world and cope with the information they have, with the impulsivity and insufficient emotional control you’d expect. But occasionally, they’re too perceptive, too wise…basically, they sound like they’ve sat through a decent amount of therapy and have internalized it. Which would be fine if they’d been in therapy, or were in their twenties. But they’re a decade and change away from being fully believable on some of these fronts.

The other thing (and I’ll get into vague spoilers for the rest of this paragraph, so feel free to skip it) that has bugged me since before I finished it—the ending is a bit hard to swallow. It’s too easy. It’s too unearned for my tastes. It’s like Williamson took a page from Wayne’s World and went with the “Mega Happy Ending” and just imposed it at a certain point. Please, don’t misunderstand me—I want Adam and Norah to get happy endings. I like where the book puts them in the last chapter—I’d have been displeased if they didn’t end up where they did. But…it would’ve felt more real if it didn’t go that way. Or if it took slow, incremental work for them to get there—with a few big jumps along the way, sure. To use a bad illustration—you know how in some movies the uncoordinated guy goes through a training montage and suddenly can do all sorts of things they couldn’t before the song started? Well, it was like that—but Norah and Adam skipped the montage and went from clumsy to ready to win the dance/singing/martial arts contest.

Now this is likely just me—I’m willing to bet that most readers in the target audience aren’t going to have those issues. But I’d quite like to ask a few about their experience reading the books, particularly the ending.

Ignore all that for a moment (as I’ve said over and over again—it takes many more words to explain a problem I have with a book than to say all the good things I want to say). This novel nails the struggles for both these children and their parents—who are clearly trying their best (even if the kids don’t always see that)—no one in this book has an easy time of it. They’re all in extreme circumstances, with the cards stacked against them—and everyone is just trying to get through it as intact as they can for themselves and their family.

I loved, loved, loved that someone wrote about these situations in a Middle Grade book—you just don’t see enough things like this (or at least, I don’t, I shouldn’t suggest it doesn’t exist). I remember when I was in that audience, and Wooly Mammoths roamed the earth, that I got seriously excited when I came across a book that dealt with things like this, even if it made for hard reading. Since then, I don’t see it too often.

It’s impossible to read this without feeling empathy for Norah or Adam—or their parents—and to extrapolate that empathy and sympathy toward non-fictional people in similar circumstances. I’m not saying that this book is going to fix all sorts of prejudices that a child might have and fill playgrounds everywhere with mini-Brené Brown clones. But it should make it a little easier for them to put themselves in someone else’s shoes, to understand that peers—or strangers—could be going through something.

If you’ve read and enjoyed When We Were Vikings by Andrew David MacDonald, you’re going to want to check this one out. If you haven’t—read both books. I think readers young and old will find a lot to admire and commend in these pages. I feel strange saying you’ll enjoy a book about so much suffering—but you will, particularly when the characters find a moment of joy or peace. It’s very effective—and affective—to watch these two become heroes and get different endings than either expected for most of the book.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from Neem Tree Press via NetGalley in exchange for this post—thanks to both for this.


3.5 Stars

My thanks to The Write Reads for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials they provided.

BOOK SPOTLIGHT: Norah’s Ark by Victoria Williamson

This morning, I’m very pleased to welcome The Write Reads Ultimate Blog Tour for Victoria Williamson’s Norah’s Ark. In addition to this Spotlight, my post about the book will be coming along soon. In the meantime, go check out https://twitter.com/WriteReadsTours—starting last week and going through tomorrow, a lot of bloggers have been writing interesting things about this book and you can find them all there. But for now, let’s learn a little bit about the book, shall we?

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Book Details:

Title: Norah’s Ark by Victoria Williamson
Genre: General Fiction
Age Category: Middle Grade
Publisher: Neem Tree Press
Release date: August 29, 2023
Format: Paperback/Audiobook
Length: 304 pages
Norah's Ark Cover

About the Book:

Two very different lives. One shared hope for a brighter future. No time to waste. The flood is coming…

Eleven-year-old Norah Day lives in temporary accommodation, relies on foodbanks for dinner, and doesn’t have a mum. But she’s happy enough, as she has a dad, a pet mouse, a pet spider, and a whole zoo of rescued local wildlife to care for. Eleven-year-old Adam Sinclair lives with his parents in a nice house with a big garden, a private tutor, and everything he could ever want. But his life isn’t perfect – far from it. He’s recovering from leukaemia and is questioning his dream of becoming a champion swimmer. When a nest of baby birds brings them together, Norah and Adam discover they’re not so different after all. Can Norah help Adam find his confidence again? Can Adam help Norah solve the mystery of her missing mother? And can their teamwork save their zoo of rescued animals from the rising flood? Offering powerful lessons in empathy, Norah’s Ark is a hopeful and uplifting middle-grade tale for our times about friendship and finding a sense of home in the face of adversity.

Book Links:

Amazon UK ~ Goodreads

About the Author:

Sally Doherty
Victoria Williamson is an award-winning author who grew up in Scotland surrounded by hills, books, and an historical farm estate which inspired many of her early adventure stories and spooky tales. After studying Physics at the University of Glasgow, she set out on her own real-life adventures, which included teaching maths and science in Cameroon, training teachers in Malawi, teaching English in China and working with children with additional support needs in the UK. Victoria currently works part time writing KS2 books for the education company Twinkl and spends the rest of her time writing novels, and visiting schools, libraries and literary festivals to give author talks and run creative writing workshops.

Victoria’s previous novels include The Fox Girl and the White Gazelle, The Boy with the Butterfly Mind, Hag Storm, and War of the Wind. She has won the Bolton Children’s Fiction Award 2020/2021, The YA-aldi Glasgow Secondary School Libraries Book Award 2023, and has been shortlisted for the Week Junior Book Awards 2023, The Leeds Book Awards 2023, the Red Book Award 2023, the James Reckitt Hull Book Awards 2021, The Trinity School Book Awards 2021, and longlisted for the ABA South Coast Book Awards 2023, the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 2020, and the Branford Boase Award 2019.

Her latest novel, The Pawnshop of Stolen Dreams, is a middle grade fantasy inspired by classic folklore. Twenty percent of the author royalties for this book are donated to CharChar Literacy, an organisation working to improve children’s literacy levels in Malawi.

You can find out more about Victoria’s books, school visits and free resources for schools on her website: www.strangelymagical.com.

Author Links:

Website ~ Twitter

My thanks to The Write Reads for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials they provided.

However Long the Day by Justin Reed: One Eventful (some might say Disastrous) Night

However Long the DayHowever Long the Day

by Justin Reed

DETAILS:
Publisher: Bulrush Press
Publication Date: February 15, 2022
Format: Hardcover
Length: 402 pgs.
Read Date:  August 8-11, 2023
Buy from Bookshop.org Support Indie Bookstores

What’s However Long the Day About?

This is a The Prince and the Pauper-esque story set in New York in 1918 with the son of a wealthy politician and an activist mother hiring his doppelganger, a recent Irish immigrant, to stand in for him for one night. Fredrick (the rich guy) got caught (again) doing something reckless and is about to be subject to a lecture/tirade from his father before being sent to his room for the evening (a room, it should be noted, that’s bigger than the apartment Niall is sharing with his uncle). Sure, it’s ridiculous that someone in his early-to-mid-20s (I’m guessing) is being treated that way. But if he wants to siphon off of his parents, I’m guessing he has to put up with ridiculous things like this.

I’d better move on before I open another parenthesis.

Niall was offered more money than he could make in a year, so he has to sign on. This kicks off 12 hours (or so) of mistaken identities, women kissing the wrong me, kidnappings, abductions, fights, beatings, criminals, police, criminal police, plots being hatched, secrets being exposed, plans going awry, plans coming to fruition, and so much more.

Frederick Philips

Frederick is a spoiled and apparently useless man desperate to get out from underneath his father’s thumb. He’ll do anything to accomplish that, except get a decent job and put in an honest day’s work. He needs to live in the manner to which he’s become accustomed, and there’s no way he can do that easily. I’m pretty sure Archie Goodwin would call him a “fop,” and although that word’s not really used anymore, it feels rather fitting (and not just because of the setting for the book).

He appears to have tried gambling and some other hare-brained (and likely illegal) schemes that have put him on the wrong side of at least one crime syndicate. One of the things he’s trying while Niall pretends to be him is the culmination of a lot of his scheming—he’s trying for the big score that’ll equip him to set up a new life in Philadelphia.

Niall Donovan

Niall has been in NYC for a month and we meet him as he’s struggling to substitute for his Uncle Paddy on his ice delivery route. Paddy’s fighting off the Spanish Flu* and needs someone to cover so he can keep his job. Niall’s not that good at the fairly thankless job, but it’s a way he can contribute.

* The grief given to the police officer wearing a mask—and his defending the practice—feels pretty timely.

Other than in appearance, Niall’s everything that Frederick isn’t—he’s a hard worker, he’s honest and honorable—and can acquit himself well in a fight. You’ll have a really hard time not being immediately charmed by him and wanting to see him succeed everywhere. He might be so loyal, so devoted, so determined to do the right thing that he puts himself in some stupid and dangerous situations, quite honestly. And more than once you’ll shake your head at him making a choice that’s sure to lead to problems—but you’ll still root for him.

Other Characters

Frederick’s ally/accomplice in all this is named Ivy. She lives near him, with parents in a similar social standing—she’s equally miserable but doesn’t have the means to get away from home. She’s a little more level-headed than Frederick and works with him—urging him to take some chances for both of their sakes.

Flora works in domestic service for one of the homes on Paddy’s route and Niall is pretty sweet on her (the feeling’s mutual). She’s hands down my favorite character in the book—she’s everything that Niall is (but backwards and in high heels), but generally thinks more clearly (except for the one time she encourages Niall’s foolhardiness. Both of them end up regretting that). I wish I could tell you all the reasons I love Flora, but that’d involve spoilers.

Niall’s Uncle Paddy is a great guy, too. He’s doing all he can (in his very limited way) to help Niall acclimate to New York and to get established.

And I’m going on too long—I can’t talk about all the great characters—but Reed’s got a knack for creating characters that come to life. There’s not one of them that you’re not going to have a very solid impression of—and probably a pretty good mental image for (despite minimal description in the text). I could’ve easily enjoyed more scenes with each and every character—except maybe Frederick—because I just enjoyed watching them in action so much.

The Object Itself

Most of the time I don’t talk about things like covers, printing, and whatnot—it’s just not something I want to dwell on (and frequently it’s stuff outside an author’s control). But when it’s done this well—particularly by a self-published author, I want to take a moment to talk.

The printing, binding, and so on for this book is top-notch. Indistinguishable from most of the hardcovers on my shelf. The cover design as well as the interiors were done with skill and care. Does this help the reading experience much? Probably only a negligible amount. But it’s clear that Reed put some money into the production end of this—money and care. As much effort into that as he put into the words on the page (or close).

I wonder if he regrets that—or if by trimming a few costs, he’d be closer to making a profit. But for me? I appreciate an author putting their money where their mouth is. Again, I don’t know if it added much to the experience, but I sure enjoyed that part.

So, what did I think about However Long the Day?

As far as I can tell—Reed nailed the historical setting. His NYC of 1918 looks and feels like histories of the era that I’m familiar with—and with books from around that era that I’ve read. I’m no expert by any means, but it felt accurate—and if I raised an eyebrow at any of his historical details, they didn’t bother me enough to remember or write in my notes. I’m open to correction on this point, but I’d say he dealt with this part well.

I’ve talked briefly about the characters already, so let’s move on to the plot. It took a while for a clear picture to develop about what was going on, but the ride to that point was so fun, I really didn’t care—I just kept wondering what the next scene would bring. Sure, there were some moments early on that I wondered if he was trying to juggle too many storylines and characters, and I will admit to shaking my head a few times when he’d throw in something new or insert a new difficulty or obstacle for Niall or Frederick to overcome. Eventually, I started to see the tapestry he was weaving and was glad to see that patience rewarded—Reed knew where he was going and led us on a straight path that only seemed to be meandering.

Every now and then, I wondered if Reed was hitting either Niall and Paddy’s Irishisms* a bit too hard—or if he was laying on the 1910s jargon/slang a bit too thick. But it was less often than I assumed I’d think something like that going in—and it really was rare that I wondered that. There was a time or two that I wondered if the dialogue in general was a bit preachy (whether or not I agreed), or wordy in general.

* Flora using the term “Irishism” also seemed a bit strange, but it worked in the moment so well, that I’m not going to complain. And not just because it was Flora who said it. Although that helps. I’m telling you, I loved her.

But overall, I was really impressed with Reed’s writing. Near the 300-page mark I got a little uneasy. There was maybe 30 pages of story left, how was he going to fill up another hundred or so? It turns out that it was super easy, barely an inconvenience. Not only that, it was some of the best story-telling he’d done up to that point. Most of it didn’t even depend on the mistaken/interchangeable identity aspect of the book. It’s not often that I misjudge an author’s pacing anymore, especially not a first-time author (and when I do, it’s generally not a good thing)—but Reed taught me a welcome lesson in humility there.

I was pleasantly surprised throughout this book—I didn’t expect anything much to strike me as funny when I picked it up, for example. I was optimistic about the premise and anticipated enjoying it. But I expected a fairly earnest, straightforward drama. But Reed gave us some good action, some interesting hijinks, and some solid comedy. (Yes, there’s a chance that I found things funny that I shouldn’t have…I’ll grant you that, and apologize to Reed if that offends him).

One example of the comedy that really stood out to me–there’s a recurring discussion about the choice of cake vs. fruit pie. It feels straight out of Tarantino, or maybe Jim Gaffigan. It essentially becomes a personality test–and Frederick fails, incidentally. It becomes this nice bit of humor, it helps solidify Flora as a character, it humanizes some of the gangsters (see Tarantino), and is something that really helps the reader to connect with the characters. The fact that it has almost nothing to do with the plot is a great bonus, it becomes something where the characters can interact as human beings regardless of what’s going on. Also, anything that allows Flora to shine and makes Frederick look bad is worth pointing out.

Clearly, I enjoyed this book a lot. If this is what Reed can do for a debut, I can’t wait to see what he accomplishes for a follow-up. I strongly recommend you all to go pick this one up.


4 Stars

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