This is a beautifully written, poetic rhythmic rhyming book about mice who are excited for the Halloween dance. However, in the night as they slept, aThis is a beautifully written, poetic rhythmic rhyming book about mice who are excited for the Halloween dance. However, in the night as they slept, a creepy crawlie crew entered, destroying their costumes and taking over their lair. The small mice decide to stand up for themselves taking on the creepy crawlies with music, banners and battle cries. It ends with a creepy crawlie and a mouse forging a friendship beneath the ghost moon, dancing into the night. Beautiful poetry and illustrations, lovely lessons taught, and highly entertaining… a perfect book for fall!...more
This thriller alternates between the perspectives of two women, Adele and Louise. It also alternates between Adele’s past and present. Louise is a divThis thriller alternates between the perspectives of two women, Adele and Louise. It also alternates between Adele’s past and present. Louise is a divorcee and single mother who begins an affair with her married boss, David. Soon after, she literally bumps into Adele, David’s wife, and they start a friendship. From Adele’s perspective, we know the the meeting was not mere coincidence. However, the reader is unsure what secrets lurk beneath the surface nor the reasons behind the forced meeting. Louise is charmed and won over by both Adele and David. Adele pleads with Louise to keep their friendship secret because David prefers to “compartmentalize” and Louise gladly agrees, as this allows her to spend time with both members of this couple whom she views as such wonderful creatures.
Despite the fact that Louise finds Adele and David to be so wonderfully charming, the reader (or at least me) found all three of the characters to be unlikeable. David appeared to be a shell of a person, making poor choices, hiding away secrets and drinking constantly. Adele appeared to be manipulative, two-faced, self-absorbed, and mentally unstable. Louise was perhaps the craziest of them all, having only accidentally stumbled into this couple and immediately getting wrapped up in their drama. She was an easy target, dishonest, easily manipulated, and having an affair with her so called best friend. She dropped Sophie, her best friend of years, after befriending Adelle and not liking the advice Sophie had given her regarding Louise’s relationships with this couple.
The story line and writing were ok, but not great. I was intrigued in the beginning, but found the story lacking in depth. Louise and Adele were so enraptured with David, however, I did not feel his character was developed enough to understand why. Yes, David felt trapped by Adele, but why feel it is his obligation to stay with her? I found it difficult to see how and why he felt he could control her, as repeatedly Adele proved he couldn’t. Then, when the thriller took a trip into the paranormal with it’s twists at the end, I really felt cheated of a normal ending. It felt like the author was writing this as if we should believe that type of thing is entirely possible. Many parts of this book, with both the coincidences and the choices the characters made required a leap of faith to accept. Then, to add a paranormal ending, for me, required tremendous suspension of reality. I know many people loved this book and the ending and it is one of the best selling books this year, but for me it was not great.
If I had ever known the origin story for Wonder Woman as a child, I had completely forgotten it in adulthood. It is a marvelous story and one that is If I had ever known the origin story for Wonder Woman as a child, I had completely forgotten it in adulthood. It is a marvelous story and one that is well told in this beautiful rendering by Renae DeLiz and Ray Dillon. I love that Diana (Wonder Woman) is the daughter of the immortal god, Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons, given life out of clay by Gaea. She is born on Themyscira, a planet for the immortals, where her mother hopes she can live an immortal peaceful life. However, Diana senses she has another purpose in life and begins warrior training in secret with Alcippe. A mortal, a fighter pilot named Steve Trevor, lands on Themyscira as part of a plot by Ares to overthrow Hippolyta. His plan is foiled when Diana wins the tournament and is named champion. Diana accompanies Steve Trevor by boat to the boundary between Themyscira and Earth, but ends up being pushed out of Themyscira to Earth herself by Poseiden.
On Earth, Diana is befriended by singer, Etta Candy, who takes Diana under her wing acclimating her to life on Earth. Etta follows Diana to France to aid in the war effort during WW2, where Etta will sing and Diana will work as a nurse. Diana goes there in pursuit of an evildoer that is raising the dead Axis forces that are told to destroy the remaining Allied forces. The man in command of the destruction wears the baetylus, which Diana immediately recognizes as a sacred item of her mother’s.
Diana becomes a WW2 heroine as both a civilian and Wonder Woman. She is a fighter for truth, more often than not, impairing her enemies by showing them the truth with her lasso than actual physical harm. She is willing to give up a normal life to protect life on Earth. This is a coming of age story for the young Diana Prince, who must discover who she is, where she came from, and what her purpose must be.
This is not my usual genre, so I thank Book Riot Read Harder 2017 Challenge for pushing me outside of my usual comfort zone. This was a stunning book, one I had a hard time putting down. I have renewed respect and love for the heroine, Wonder Woman, and am so glad I was able to get to know her better through this graphic novel. I highly recommend this everyone! The combination of Greek God background and WW2 hero made this entirely compelling.
The movie Wonder Woman was released in the United States on June 2, 2017. Did you see it? I have not yet seen the movie, but I plan to watch it and write a follow-up post in reaction to it. An interesting fun fact is that, in October 2016, the United Nations named Wonder Woman a “UN Honorary Ambassador for the Empowerment of Women and Girls.” Two months later she was dropped from her role, following a petition....more
Fancy Nancy is a character who loves accessories and glamorous ones at that. She believes in dressing up and in educating her family on the importancFancy Nancy is a character who loves accessories and glamorous ones at that. She believes in dressing up and in educating her family on the importance of style. She teaches the reader exciting new vocabulary as she instructs her family. She is an independent thinker with much creativity and spirit. A delightfully fun read with outrageously imagined illustrations!...more
Olivia is a girl (illustrated as an adorable pig) who is ready to try anything and everything. She dreams big, wears others out and eventually wears Olivia is a girl (illustrated as an adorable pig) who is ready to try anything and everything. She dreams big, wears others out and eventually wears herself out. These stories are about family dynamics, joyful growing up years and wonderful adventures. The books are beautifully illustrated, whimsical, and witty. Olivia is a character to love and read repeatedly....more
“It isn’t practical, my quest to find my rolling childhood home and say a thirty-years-too-late goodbye to a four-year-old-boy.”
This is a memoir of Te“It isn’t practical, my quest to find my rolling childhood home and say a thirty-years-too-late goodbye to a four-year-old-boy.”
This is a memoir of Teresa Bruce who travels the Pan-American Highway in an avion camper with her husband Gary shortly after marriage. This trip mirrors the trip that Teresa went on as a young girl in 1974 with her parents and her sister 2 years after the death of her younger brother. The ultimate goal of the trip is to find the camper that her family had travelled in and eventually sold before heading home. Ulterior motives include recollecting memories, exploring South America, reconnecting with people whose paths they crossed 30 years prior, understanding her parents better, and coming to terms with her brother’s death. She seems particularly interested in learning about her parents’ motives and grieving process during this journey. She does not recollect her parents talking about the death of her brother or even mentioning his name. It is obvious when meeting people along this journey that her mother spoke to others very much about her dead brother, a realization that surprises the author.
To me, this journey felt very foolish. Both trips contained near death experiences. The travelers were pitted against corrupt police demanding bribes. The travelers made poor choices. For instance, Teresa brings a gun along, which haunts her the entire trip. They are continuously embarrassed by their apparent flaunting of wealth in their Avion with American plates as they drive through poverty stricken regions. The writing is disjointed, the characters are coming undone… So, for me, it was a tedious unenjoyable read.
The journey begins after a visit to Teresa’s home and parents. What I couldn’t understand was why Teresa never engaged her parents in conversation about the past rather than decide to relive this journey, that for her, didn’t seem enjoyable the first time. I took a chance on this book from netgalley knowing that I needed to read a travel memoir as part of the BookRiot 2017 reading challenge. I almost gave up so many times. I’m surprised that I actually read to the end. The writing felt disjointed. It read like diary entries that had been slightly reworked with some facts and tidbits thrown in about the history & geography of the area that didn’t necessary fit with the driving themes of the book.
Thank you to netgalley and Seal Press Publishing for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review....more
An intense collection of stories, each one told from the perspective of a young girl living in NYC in the 1990s with parents who had immigrated from SAn intense collection of stories, each one told from the perspective of a young girl living in NYC in the 1990s with parents who had immigrated from Shanghai. The stories demonstrate the manifestations and aftermath of the trauma experienced by the parents in Mao era China and the varying coping mechanisms they utilize. Some parents drink excessively, others work such long hours such that they almost never see their children, while others cannot get enough of their children and are by their sides at all times. One father is physically abusive to his wife while another has an endless string of girlfriends. There is a grandmother who feels the only worthy thing in life is being a mother, so attempts to become the mother to her grandchildren, confabulating about the days when she breastfed them. She demands that they love her to an extreme. These are stories that show how the horrors of a generation (the Chinese in 1960's China) affect future generations of children (American-Chinese growing up in NYC in the 1990s.)
It is about the children of immigrants in a country where English is not their primary language. It is about the interaction of these girls with both their families and the outside world. One girl is made to go back to ESL classes with each move and new school district, even though she has placed out them them repeatedly. There is an intensity to childhood friendships, a pushing and pulling, a competition that feels far more negative than positive. The stories delve into the girls' exploration of their bodies and developing understanding of sex. It is often vulgar and disturbing. The emotional aspect of keeping up with peers about sex and foul language is a weight on some of these girls. The language the children use, both in conversation with each other and with their parents, is often angry and vulgar. There is desperation and depression felt through these characters. These girls are coming of age, learning about themselves and their bodies, learning about their place in the world. It is all at once confusing, disastrous and exciting for them.
In addition to portraying 1990's NYC, the author offers glimpses of the year 1966 in China, when schools were out and children ran wild. The children were given the freedom and power to turn on any adult, accuse them of being counterrevolutionary, and proceed to torture and even kill them. One disturbing scene had a teacher tortured while tied to a tree by her students out of revenge for shaming one of the students in school. Anyone could be named counterrevolutionary. Particularly, anyone who wore their hair long and loose, anyone thought to be an intellectual, a member of the bourgeois class... or simply as a personal vendetta.
The writing is marvelous. Jenny Zhang is a masterful storyteller. However, the content is graphic. It is often horrifying, disturbing and seemingly distasteful. There is no sugar coating on these stories. These stories are full of grit, grime and dirt. There is anger, depression, sadness and sometimes joy. For me, Zhang was a unique original voice. I am glad I read these stories, but I caution others who might be sensitive to foul language or graphic subject matter. Sour Heart is the first book to be published with the LENNY imprint, a new imprint, in partnership with Random House, led by Lena Dunham and Jenni Konner.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
As with most ‘women’s literature’ I found things to love and things to hate within this novel. I think the title is brilliant. What family isn’t practAs with most ‘women’s literature’ I found things to love and things to hate within this novel. I think the title is brilliant. What family isn’t practicing normal? Every family has it’s own struggles and issues that it is dealing with. Society expects certain behaviors from people and many families struggle to live up to expectations, both expectations they hold for themselves and those they perceive others to hold of them.
This novel is told from three perspectives: that of the Dad, Everett; that of the mother, Kate; and that of the daughter, Jenna. Within this family unit, there is also an autistic brother, who does not serve as a narrator.
One of my biggest struggles with “women’s literature” is this theme of putting up with an awful male partner for the sake of the family. This book is a prime example of this. Kate, the mother, has given up a nursing career she very much enjoyed in order to be there for her family and care for her mother who lives down the street. She has no friends or outside interests that she pursues. Her whole life revolves around her family. However, her husband is absent and deceitful. One of her his mistresses has already shown up on the doorstep introducing herself and she’s very suspicious he’s cheating again. He is “working” all hours and constantly checking his phone. Kate’s mother thinks he’s a louse, but Kate would rather continue putting up with it all, denying the obvious. Maybe this is to keep up appearances, maybe to prove something to herself, maybe to prove something to her mother.. maybe she is practicing some kind of normal she had hoped for. The thing that made me most angry about the relationship between Kate and Everett is when she relates a story where Everett raped her. Since then she is more submissive to his sexual advances, not wanting a repeat incident. Kate’s son requires a lot of attention due to Asperger’s and only she and her daughter Jenna seem to know how to relate to him. Kate’s mother also is increasingly relying on her, refusing to leave her home down the street and refusing to cook for herself.
Everett is an egomaniacal child in an adult’s body. He is always putting himself first. He has no real relationship with his children. He has been caught in one affair and is currently in the midst of another. He is constantly exchanging text messages while at home with the other woman, Veronica. He is continually visiting his mistress under the guise of woking late or needing to run out of the house at all hours for something that just came up at work. He is also attempting to understand Kate and her sister’s blood relationship to their parents through DNA evidence, without first consulting Kate in this matter.
Jenna seems to be the most self-honest and most relatable character to me. As she is capable of taking care of herself, she is largely left to her own devices. She is fully aware of her father’s infidelity. She avoids him and refers to him by first name. She is angry, dresses in black, has short spiky hair, multiple piercings and spends her days breaking into neighbor’s houses. She doesn’t break in to steal per se, but to check things out, spend time with cats, experience someone else’s domain. She gets caught breaking into the neighbor’s house across the street around the same time that their son, the high school football star, is taking a break from football because of his grades. She begins spending time with this unlikely friend, Wells. The woman with the cats, Cassie, also aware of Jenna’s presence in her home, begins paying Jenna for her time spent playing and feeding her cats. Wells and Jenna spend time with each other in Cassie’s home, which becomes a refuge for them and their developing closeness. Jenna, who had seemed such a misfit starts to come of age, grow and become happy with herself.
In the end, Kate does finally awake from her self-delusion. It is interesting how Kate’s life and her mother’s were similar in their solitary confinement as they tried to practice normal and hide from the glaring problems their family was built on. If you enjoy “women’s literature,” you will probably love this book. It is well written and there is a nice metamorphosis of the characters as they are developed within the novel.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review....more
Light, fluffy, easy to listen to audible book. This is a story about a young woman at a critical transition point in her life and how a small decisionLight, fluffy, easy to listen to audible book. This is a story about a young woman at a critical transition point in her life and how a small decision can lead to two different outcomes in her life. She is in her late twenties, has just ended a relationship with a married man, is pregnant unbeknownst to her, and has just moved back to Los Angeles from the east coast. It is the ‘Sliding Doors’ concept of following the characters past this one decision through two alternate realities. Comparing the two realities, some things turn out differently, others the same. In fact there are some parts that are repeated verbatim from one chapter to the next adding an element of redundancy.
There are serious life events and crises that occur within this novel, however, I did not feel like I really got to know the characters well. Hannah, the main character, wears a high bun and loves cinnamon rolls. These two descriptors seem to be who and what Hannah is, as they are repeated so often. Despite the potentiality of depth given the crises that occur, it remained superficial. The characters were G rated, lacking edginess or darkness to round them out or create intrigue for me. Even the cheaters who hurt the main characters seem to be easily forgiven and possibly even understood by Hannah and her best friend, Gabby.
Gabby is more to Hannah than even Hannah’s family is, as Hannah’s family ran off to London while Hannah was still in high school to support Hannah’s younger sister’s dancing career. Hannah lived with Gabby and her parents for the rest of high school. The friendship between Gabby and Hannah is great. It is supportive and understanding, lacking drama (in a good way). Gabby is very concerned with wording. She wants those around her to be politically correct and not be image conscious, to understand what really matters. This is the part of Gabby that is especially emphasized throughout the novel. It also contrasted sharply with Hannah repeatedly referring to herself as fat when she was pregnant. I have to say that drove me crazy.
In all, I think the concept was wonderful, however the execution was lacking. If you feel like a super easy, no need to think much, beach read, then maybe pick this one up. Otherwise, I’d recommend skipping it....more
Thank you to PattyMacDotComma for writing a review on goodreads, which piqued my interest in reading this book. I was one of many people who did not uThank you to PattyMacDotComma for writing a review on goodreads, which piqued my interest in reading this book. I was one of many people who did not understand the Donald Trump phenomenon during the election, who could not fathom the possibility of him getting elected, but it happened. I decided I would read this biography to better understand our president, his motivations for becoming president and what his agenda might be. I’m not sure how much new about our President I learned, however, it was helpful to have all the information in one place.
I felt that I knew the superficial Donald Trump from media attention over many years. I knew about him as the real estate tycoon, the Apprentice showman, the man with dazzling new beautiful wives, the alleged affairs, and most recently the run for president. He loves the spotlight and America has seen so much of him, but I was hoping to discover something more.. to explain his run for president as something more than attention-seeking. This book is well written and researched, covers his life from crib to ascension to president, and is easy to read.
Shapiro describes a Trump who “in his personal and professional life, has been slicker than Mercury and just as hard to handle.” What we learn from this book is that Donald Trump denies and strikes back when questioned or attacked. He rarely gives straightforward answers. He waffles on his positions. He says outrageous things and gets away with it.
He has had three marriages with beautiful women. He seems to have been enamored of the concept of “trophy wife.” He was having an affair with the second while still married to the first. He tried to broker a deal for Marla (wife #2) with playboy for her to pose nude, which she ultimately declined.
What comes across in this book is that Donald is extremely vain with a mania for branding. He is a showman and a master manipulator. He utilizes his privilege and wealth to great advantage throughout his life. He gets into Wharton business school by way of family ties, he is able to escape to draft by reason of being at Wharton. He wields his money and power over the media daring them to defy him. He cares very much about his image and does whatever he can to maintain that image, including bribing journalists. He is extremely money hungry and very concerned with public perception of his wealth, to the extent that he has actually sued over underestimation of his wealth, in his opinion. He is prone to telling stories that are often untrue. Perhaps the greatest example of this is the propagation of the “birther movement.” Trump’s insistence on questioning Obama’s place of birth had created a rallying cry so fierce that Obama felt compelled to produce his birth certificate, finally putting the movement to rest.
Donald Trump has proven himself racist. In his speech announcing his run for president he said “When Mexico sends it people, they’re not sending their best. They’re sending people who have lots of problems. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.” Multiple news outlets reported that the Trump campaign had paid extras to come and cheer for that rally and others. Trump has stated that if it were up to him all Muslims would be banned from entering the United States.
Many world leaders have evoked a fascist comparison of Trump and his ideals, including People and NSNBC. Trump kept a copy of “My New Order,” a book of Adolf Hilter’s collected speeches by his bed according to ex-wife Ivana. Trump, defending his proposed ban on Muslims, in an interview with Good Morning America, cited President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s use of the Alien and Sedition Acts following the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. In February 2016, Trump retweeted a quote from fascist Italian dictator Benito Mussolini that said, “It’s better to live one day as a lion than 100 years as a sheep.” In July 2016, Trump retweeted a picture of Clinton next to a star-shaped badge, similar to the Jewish Star of David that read “Most Corrupt Candidate Ever” against a background of $100 bills. It was immediately condemned as anti-Semitic, so Trump had the star replaced with a circle and #AmericaFirst. He would soon be criticized that America First is the name of a fascist organization that encouraged appeasement with Aldolph Hitler and Nazi Germany during World War II.
Donald Trump has proven himself sexist and misogynistic. Megyn Kelly confronted Trump during one of the first debates with this question, “You’ve called women you don’t like fat pigs, dogs, slobs and disgusting animals. You once told a contestant on Celebrity Apprentice it would be a pretty picture to see her on her knees. Does that sound to you like the temperament of a man we should elect as President and how will you answer the charge of Hillary Clinton that you are part of the war on women?” Trump responded with anger and further woman-hatred, accusing her of having blood coming out of “her eyes, blood coming out of her wherever.” The Access Hollywood tape, released to the world during his campaign, revealed that among other things, Trump felt he could sexually assault any woman he wanted because he was famous.
Trump had found an effective route to the White House in courting white lower and middle class men and women in the heartland of America. “Trump’s supporters were pro-gun, pro-flag, anti-foreigner and convinced that their shortcomings were the fault of everybody but themselves. They came from a world that was miles removed from Trump’s. But when it came to the countless rallies in front of thousands of confirmed believers, Trump was quite capable of speaking their language, especially on the road to the Republican National Convention.” Trump seemed forever the showman, but had no interest in putting together an actual campaign. Several high level members of his campaign resigned after power struggles and subsequently, his long time campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski was fired and replaced briefly by Paul Manafort, before the press discovered he had business dealings with Russia. Fortunately for Trump, some far-right leaning Republicans, including Jeff Sessions, Newt Gingrich, Mitch McConnell, and others pledged to back him and began offering some much needed advice, like the need to pick a running mate.
Trump’s main platform for his presidential run was creating jobs, building a wall between the US and Mexico, and banning Muslims from entering the US. He has allied himself with white supremacists, most notably Steve Bannon. As Donald Trump’s platform has remained thin, it will likely be Trump’s cabinet members steering the ship.
This book’s publication date per netgalley, amazon and goodreads is February 26, 2016. However, the copy that I read through netgalley took me through a history of Trump leading all the way up to the day he took office on January 20, 2017. So, I’m guessing another edition will be released that gives this fuller biography. Or you can request a copy directly from netgalley, here . I’m glad I read this. I did not feel there were a lot of surprises within this book, but it was helpful to read about Trump’s life from start to presidency to get a bigger picture. Please note, my review is more biased than the actual book. However, I do find it hard to believe that anyone who would read this book and take it to heart could come away singing Trump’s praises in terms of being an effective or suitable president of the United States.
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!...more
This book asks the child a question followed by a discussion of how a particular animal likes to do the same thing. It is playful in that it makes aniThis book asks the child a question followed by a discussion of how a particular animal likes to do the same thing. It is playful in that it makes animal behavior seem childlike and fun. A couple of examples are: honeybees dance and gazelles play tag. There are eight such children activity – animal behavior comparisons explored in this book. This is a great read for any young animal lover, aged 2-5.
Thank you to netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!...more
This is a memoir from the point of view of a “hillbilly” growing up in the Rust Belt of America. He is an anomaly of sorts in that he was able to escaThis is a memoir from the point of view of a “hillbilly” growing up in the Rust Belt of America. He is an anomaly of sorts in that he was able to escape the circumstances of his past and become such a success story. His mother was an addict and abusive. He, as a child, was a victim of her abuse. She had a rotation of husbands and boyfriends continuously entering and leaving their lives. Despite this, he was able to move on. After high school, he joined the marines and served in Iraq. Then, he went on to Ohio State and Yale Law School. His story drew me in right away. He tells his story through this lens: “…for those of us lucky enough to live the American Dream, the demons of the life we left behind continue to chase us.”
He tells his own life story alongside statistics and study data of the area, its people and culture at large. I found this a fascinating read from a voice in a corner of the world we do not often hear from. It provides certain insights and offers plenty of discussion points. It is incredible that he had the resilience of character combined with the alignment of certain factors that gave him the will and drive to succeed as he did. He comes across with great humility attributing his success to these factors that did align in the right way for him. He could have just as easily, perhaps more easily fallen into a life of addiction and poverty.
Mamaw is a crucial supporter for J.D. Vance and a relentless voice encouraging him to be more, to think bigger for himself. Mamaw and Papaw had moved to Ohio for factory jobs from southeastern Kentucky alongside so many others. There is a reference to Dwight Yokam’s song “Reading, Rightin’, Rt. 23” and how relatable this was to Mamaw as well as much of Appalachia at that time. When J.D.’s mother and aunt were growing up, Papaw was an alcoholic and the relationship between the parents was stormy, even violent at times. Mamaw eventually kicked Papaw out and becomes a guiding force and bright light for J.D. as well as for many other of her grandchildren and great grandchildren, even though this stability was not provided for her own children. Papaw serves as her sidekick, still living in his separate house, sober now.
There is a fair amount of discussion within the book about how Appalachia and the South went from firmly Democratic to firmly Republican in less than a generation. According to this book, there was a perceived unfairness to unemployment checks, whereby those not working would seem to actually have more luxuries, like cell phones, than those who were working hard. Also, in the realm of housing, people could live in Section 8 housing with help from the government and be neighbors to others who are paying their full share. Obama was apparantly unpalatable to the hillbilly people because he was so educated and spoke so differently from them. They did not feel they could relate to him. Oh, and maybe there was some racism involved too (but this point was strangely mentioned almost as an afterthought.) This is a class of people, strongly united in their identity, but left feeling hopeless and disenfranchised with the loss of industry where they were previously employed.
This culture of blue collar worker with their tight knit community has higher than average levels of drug and alcohol dependence, divorce, and poverty. The children of this community are less likely to go on to college. The men are more likely not to work. Those that do go off to college are unlikely to come back to their home towns. Thus, there occurs a phenomenon referred to as “brain drain.” This cycle is self perpetuating and reinforcing. It is “a culture of social decay” as J.D. Vance puts it. There is also a “learned helplessness, ” in other words, a feeling that there is nothing these people can do to change their own circumstances.
Politically, this book is very interesting. J.D. Vance blames the hillbilly culture for their own situation. He believes in hard work and personal responsibility despite hardships. His views are very conservative.
J.D. Vance is a venture capitalist in Ohio hoping to give back to the community he came from. I will be very interested in seeing how he does give back, especially after painting such a bleak outlook for the potentiality of a solution to the problems faced by these people. He does say that the one thing he’d most like to change about the white working class is “the feeling that our choices don’t matter.” With his law background, it will be interesting to see if he decides to jump into politics at some point. He certainly seems interested in public policy, although skeptical of the magic bandaid. This is an interesting, thought provoking book providing insight into a region, a class of people, as well as a pivotal period in history.
This book had me cringing, yet I was intrigued and felt compelled to read to the end. The setting is Los Angeles and a great many themes are explored This book had me cringing, yet I was intrigued and felt compelled to read to the end. The setting is Los Angeles and a great many themes are explored throughout this novel. The two main characters, are at such transitional points in their life, making rash irresponsible decisions. These two women grew up with “bad mothers,” however end up becoming their mothers, either inadvertently or purposely in the pursuit of art. They are brought together in this novel as Lady has separated from her husband and is looking for a nanny. “S,” as Esther is calling herself in her play-act of being her mother, responds to nanny position and is hired on the spot, without even a reference check.
It is about mothering, the different ways a woman may parent different children. It is about bonds between mother and child and boundaries. It is about identity, as a mother, as a daughter, as an individual.
It is about relationships between women and how quickly they can change. The characters in this novel and their relationships with each other are incredibly well developed. The reader experiences the shifts in the relationship as life changes or new facts come to light.
It is about bad choices in relationships with men that seem exciting, yet leave the women with emptiness. It is about the possibility of good relationships with good men, that seem boring and easy to throw away. These women, Lady and Esther, through whose alternating voices the novel is rendered, seem destined to self-sabatoge. Esther, in becoming her mother, takes the color out of her hair, dresses in frumpy clothing, drinks herself into oblivion, and makes poor rash choices on many fronts. Lady plays with fire on several fronts. Most shockingly, she revisits the father of her oldest son (whose identity she is hiding from her son) not just once but repeatedly.
It is about art and the subtle shifts that can change the entire tone of the piece. The title of the book refers to a photograph taken by Lady’s sister-in-law, Kit Daniels. It was part of a series of photographs taken of ‘regular’ women caught off guard, half-dressed, with clutter in the backgrounds. Lady’s original photo had been altered for the publication, and the slight alteration made a tremendous difference in the way she presented. Certain other details were hidden as well.
In the end, this novel is about learning to accept yourself and the life given you, your strengths and weaknesses, not trying to copy or imitate others’, but to work with what life has handed to you.
Even though, I was annoyed with the characters and their alacrity for self-sabatoge, from which they all seemed saved at the end, I do think the novel was incredibly well executed. It is not a feel good beach read. It is much deeper and more complicated. The writing is excellent. The author develops many themes and there is significant complexity to the novel. It is intriguing and unique. It would make a great book club book!
Thank you to net galley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is a book written by a woman who grew up in Kansas, the daughter of a “very successful” meth dealer who had his own private plane. At the age of This is a book written by a woman who grew up in Kansas, the daughter of a “very successful” meth dealer who had his own private plane. At the age of 13, she fell in love with a much older man. This novel was not meant to be autobiographical, but it definitely draws upon a known past.
This novel has stirred much controversy about the nature of the relationship that develops between the two main characters in this novel. I admit that as their relationship started to change, I cringed at the idea of a romantic relationship between Kellen and Wavy, but I grew to love them together. The book brings up so many questions about the nature of romantic relationships. Is it better to first experience romance with someone you love and trust or as a fling at a party, like Rene and Amy? Is engaging in a romantic relationship with a much older man who has been acting as your care-giver breaking boundaries of trust? Is it morally reprehensible? Was Aunt Brenda’s extreme reaction to the relationship between Wavy and Kellen due more to her guilt at not being there or true repulsion at the idea of this inappropriate relationship?
I loved Wavy in this novel. I felt she was an angel, a beautiful, bright and intelligent child, trapped in an ugly situation. Her father is a meth dealer, with multiple girlfriends, not even living at home with her mother. Her mother has extreme OCD and paranoia which she self medicates with substance abuse. Wavy is left to her own devices, neglected, ignored, physically injured at times, witnessing the debauchery and reckless behavior of the adults around her. She appears feral in part due to her neglect and in part due to her mother’s extreme reactions and instructions to her daughter. Wavy will not speak to people and she will not eat in front of people. This scares most people around her. The teachers feel she is a lost cause. When her parents are in jail, her Aunt Brenda becomes so frustrated by Wavy that she is made to leave. Only certain special people are able to connect and get through to Wavy. These include Amy, her grandmother, Donal and Kellen.
I felt so much truth, humanity and love expressed through this book. I loved that this book made me rethink some hard and fast rules that I have for behavior. I think looking at everything as being black and white is dangerous. There are always shades of grey. Wavy and Kellen proved this. This would make an excellent book club book. There is so much to discuss and from reading other reviews, there are people with polar opposite feelings about this book!
This book is incredible. I completely understand why it is a classic. Hemingway is a masterful writer. There is so much to absolutely love about this This book is incredible. I completely understand why it is a classic. Hemingway is a masterful writer. There is so much to absolutely love about this novel. Hemingway paints the landscape and setting like a painter. Each setting is so beautifully and carefully described, recalling such detail. The humor and wit involved had me laughing aloud. He so articulately characterizes and ascribes characteristics to those within his novel. You can feel the personalities and love them as he must have in creating them. They are so alive and vibrant! They have characteristics and personalities we would typically think of per their nationalities. The war is seen as an absolute absurdity from any way you look at it, but he does not go over the top in driving this point home. There is so much else layered within this book. Yes, war is ridiculous. The whole endeavor is ridiculous. Who will win? The country that figures this out last. And the love story.. is to die for!!! It is so crazy at the outset, so real, so tender... so tragic. It has to be one of my favorite literary romances of all time.
This fictional novel is told in first person. Frederic Henry is an American studying architecture in Rome when World War I breaks out. He enlists in the Italian army as an ambulance driver, prior to America even entering the war. This mirrors Hemingway’s life in that he too volunteered to be an ambulance driver in the Italian army, years prior to America’s entrance into the war. In the novel, Lieutenant Henry develops close friendships with Rinaldi, an Italian surgeon, and a nameless priest. It is through Rinaldi that Henry meets Catherine Barkley, with whom he falls in love. The war is ensuing with Austria and Germany. The officers of Italian army at the beginning of the novel seem to be enjoying drink and brothels. Henry even develops jaundice during a prolonged hospitalized for a wound to his knee. Alcoholic hepatitis? Possibly. However, as war progresses, the men become demoralized. There is not enough food. They cannot stay dry. They might even be shot by their own army. Lieutenant Henry must navigate his men away from harm during the German attack on Caporetto. In case you have not read this novel and plan to, I will say no more.. as I do not want to ruin the novel for anyone.
I listened to the audible version read by John Slattery which I highly recommend. I know prior to this novel being originally published, the profanity was removed. However, in this audio version it seemed like there were gaps where the profanity should have been. I would have preferred to have listened to or read the unedited version. What an amazing book detailing a very important point in history, as well as an incredible love story.
This was read as part of Book Riot’s reading challenge as a book that has been banned or frequently challenged in the United States. It has been frequently challenged as a “sex novel” and due to “language and sexual references in the book.” This book was banned in Italy, in 1929 until 1948, by the fascist regime in part for its description of the retreat from Caporetto and in part for its anti-militarism. It was also banned in Boston at that time. It was burned in Germany in 1933 by the Nazis as it was felt to be anti-war as they were trying to drum up support. It was also banned in Ireland in 1939....more
“I wrote this book for the ghosts, who, because they are outside of time, are the only one with time.” – prologue
What a timely book! With the public d“I wrote this book for the ghosts, who, because they are outside of time, are the only one with time.” – prologue
What a timely book! With the public debate about immigration in the forefront of everyone’s mind, with the executive and judicial branches of government battling out the legality of banning people from certain countries, the timing is perfect! America’s history has been built upon accepting refugees from various countries. Between 1975 and 1995 over 480,000 people had immigrated to the United States. Of the “boat people,” it is estimated that at least a third died. This is exquisitely written, profoundly moving compilation of short stories, each one touching on the theme of immigration from Vietnam.
Viet Thanh Nguyen says he is writing these stories for the ghosts. The first story in this book is most directly to that point. The narrator is a ghost writer, telling other people’s stories not coming to terms with her own story until the ghost of her brother comes to visit her. At that moment she confronts the trauma of her past. Her brother risked his life to try to hide her as a boy when pirates raided their boat. He was killed for it. She was gang rapider front of her parents. Her parents lamented her brother’s death, but never mentioned what had happened to her. She carried the burden of her own trauma as well as of her brother’s death. She was made to feel it was her fault. She finally realizes she died too. She is a ghost of the past and can write her own story.
The writing is incredible. The stories themselves are beautiful, emotion-laden, with excellent character development and complexity. The true nature behind the characters are revealed in unexpected ways. The tension created by the juxtaposition of vietnamese culture in affluent America (as well as the converse) are explored. These stories are not simply an exploration of Vietnamese culture and the refugee experience, but transcend that with the stories evoking so much truth about humanity that simply involve refugees as characters.
Rather than detail each short story, I highly recommend reading this brilliantly written grouping of 8 stories. It is brief book, but packs a powerful punch. These are stories that will move you and stay with you. They are simply amazing!
Thank you to netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
This was a beautiful story of a father – daughter relationship. It tells of a past pertaining to the father, Samuel Hawley, from which he is trying toThis was a beautiful story of a father – daughter relationship. It tells of a past pertaining to the father, Samuel Hawley, from which he is trying to protect his daughter at all costs. His past is Herculean, it is a time of it’s own, yet it cannot be separated from the present. He has scars from twelve bullets. Twelve bullets are the equivalent of the twelve tasks of Hercules, the twelve hours on a clock. Hawley’s past is shady, but he is a good man and wants the best for his daughter. His job now is taking care of his daughter. The chapters describing the circumstances leading up to each bullet striking him alternate with chapters about his daughter coming of age. It is a unique intersecting of two lives, one in the past and one in the present.
The setting is Gloucester, Massachusetts, a fishing town that has a renowned greasy pole competition in the summer. However, the author has renamed Gloucester Olympus, giving it heroic proportions, suitable for the Hercules of this novel to tackle. He tackles it with humility and for his daughter. He does not enter the competition to win glory for himself. The town is well developed in the novel. The reader gets a sense of the determination and culture of the fishermen. This is set against the environmentalists embodied by Mary Titus who are fighting to protect against overfishing.
Hawley’s past is tainted. It is rough and difficult, full of narrow escapes. The daughter, Loo, is youthful, more innocent. Their relationship is full of respect and love. She doesn’t fully understand who he is, but she is starting too. She may be innocent, but even she carries pieces of his past within her. She often feels that sour taste rising in the back of her throat driving her to violence. In returning to her mother’s hometown, she is subject to bullying, but learns to fight for herself. She falls for a boy. She starts a waitressing job. She is coming of age, understanding her father better and the world at large.
This is a beautiful book which I highly recommend! I loved the intersection of an exciting shoot ’em up novel combined with a coming-of-age story and the subtle shift in the relationship between father and daughter. It was beautifully executed and seemingly timeless. It was tender and sweet plus keep-you-on-your-toes, exciting.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Breathtaking, stunning debut novel! It is amazing! It is tragic, heartfelt, tender and brazen all at the same time. I absolutely loved this! I loved tBreathtaking, stunning debut novel! It is amazing! It is tragic, heartfelt, tender and brazen all at the same time. I absolutely loved this! I loved the journey it took me on. I loved that I had no idea where this book was headed, but went along for a wild ride that had me laughing and crying. There were so many areas of gray and missing pieces of information that I was itching to learn more about along the journey. These holes were so often filled in just when you thought you might not get the answers. However, the missing pieces weren’t ever what was expected, never cliched. This book is filled with tragedy, horrors, sadness, but also with redemption, hope and love.
The novel begins in art class with Mel and Sharon, two young women not quite fitting the usual mold at the upstate college they attend. They are poorer, have experienced more hurt and pain, and seem to have no one. That is, until they find each other. They bond over old cartoons including Dirty Duck, Ren and Stimpy, Clutch Cargo, Fritz the Cat, and Heavy Traffic. They begin working together at school and after graduation spending long days and nights working on their first movie together based on Mel’s mother, who was a drug-addicted prostitute. They are both artists who have triangulated their futures together through their art. Ten years later they are experiencing the success of their first film. Mel is bold, confident, the life of the party. Sharon is reserved, holding back, the more practical of the two. Together they have become a great team. They are best friends and work partners. However, their friendship is tested by addiction, jealousy, and medical illness.
It is through their friendship with each other that they begin to rebuild themselves. “She was the first person to see me as I had always wanted to be seen. It was enough to indebt me to her forever.” Their relationship is close, nurturing, subject to role reversals and also anger.
It is through their art that they come to terms with their pasts, redeeming themselves through a process of catharsis. Kayla Rae Whitaker beautifully describes how much they pour themselves into their work, how it is transformative, healing, and full of love. It changes the way they feel about themselves, their childhoods, and it Sharon’s case it changes her relationship with her mother.
I loved the writing, the build-up of tensions, the breaking down of tensions. I loved the power of the encounters between Sharon and her family. It is amazing how much was conveyed with so little said, how tone and inaction spoke so loudly between them. The characters are so vividly and fully developed, the relationships incredibly dynamic, and the storyline itself is unique, bold and exhilarating.
This book is incredible. It has so much depth, energy, grit. I highly recommend this to everyone! This will make an excellent book club choice.
Thank you to net galley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Wow! What a macabre, twisted way to get swept up in the life and culture of Argentina. I love when I read books outside my usual genres and get blown Wow! What a macabre, twisted way to get swept up in the life and culture of Argentina. I love when I read books outside my usual genres and get blown away by them. These short stories invoke living nightmares and nightmarish creatures that dwell just below the surface of normal life and enter into these stories in unexpected ways. There are ghosts of the past, horrific creatures, and a sense of the clairvoyance in these pages. Some of the descriptions within these stories brought to mind Stephen King’s writing, particularly “Adela’s House.” Certain descriptions of graffiti in repetitive patterns of letters that don’t seem to spell anything and the creature with teeth filed into triangles that eats Paula’s live cat in “The Neighbor’s Courtyard” are two other particular examples that felt Stephen King-esque to me.
The setting for these stories is in various cities in Argentina, including Buenos Aires, Lanus, and Corrientes. There is a sense of healing in the land, but there are horrors of the past lurking just beneath the surface. Natalia in “Spiderweb” saw a burning building which 10 minutes later was charred down to the earth. Someone else in that story saw a ghost rising from the cement of a bridge, within which dead bodies must have been hidden. In “Under the Black Water” a buried monster dwells in a polluted river, which people had been trying to cover up. Argentina’s Dirty War took place 1974 to 1983 and though it is not directly referenced in these stories, the horrors lurking just beneath the surface and these ghosts of the past are most certainly from that time.
There are many common themes that wind their way through these stories creating interest and intrigue. Many of the characters in these stories are depressed, sometimes overwhelmingly so to the point of not being able to work anymore, hurting themselves, and perhaps hallucinating. In one story “Green Red Orange,” Marco becomes locked in, not seeing people anymore. He only opens his door when no one is there to get the food his mother has left him. He only communicates with an old girlfriend via chat from his computer where he becomes obsessed with the deep web, where he can find the most horrific things.
Another theme running through many of these stories is dissatisfaction with boyfriends or husbands. The boyfriends and husbands in these stories are not loved or desired by the protagonist. They are depicted as being over-confident, arrogant, pig-headed and most importantly useless. The boyfriends or husbands end up disappearing or leaving by the end of each story. The final and titular story “Things We Lost in the Fire” begins with women being the subject of fires set by angry significant others. The women then begin to burn themselves in protest creating a world of disfigured women. This is a very disturbing brutal ending to this collection of stories.
There is obvious social commentary within the pages of these stories. The author is definitely a feminist. She has an interesting way of depicting wealth versus poverty and sane versus mentally unstable. She definitely delves into a world of darkness and demons, most of us do not think about. She recognizes horrors within her stories, that don’t even pertain to the main story, but are issues with the society at large. In “Spiderweb” the soldiers at the Paraguayan restaurant with their large guns are harassing the waitress and are likely going to rape her, however, any intervention would get the narrator and Natalia raped. However, the greatest social commentary I feel is directed at the horrors of the Dirty War, and how the ghosts of that time still haunt the people of Argentina.
Each story, thrilling and terrifying, ends on a cliffhanger. You, the reader, are left not knowing, still wondering, what was truth and fiction, and where things will go from there. I highly recommend this collection of short stories from a gifted and talented Argentinian writer! It will make the hair on your arms stand up.
Thank you to net galley, the publisher and the author for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Unique, dark, suspenseful psychological thriller that cycles back and forth in time focusing on 2 separate sets of murders. In the 1970s, Dustin’s parUnique, dark, suspenseful psychological thriller that cycles back and forth in time focusing on 2 separate sets of murders. In the 1970s, Dustin’s parents and aunt and uncle were brutally murdered while he and his cousins slept in a trailer in the driveway. It was his and his cousin, Kate’s, testimony that landed Dustin’s foster brother, Randy in prison. As a result of this traumatic event, Dustin became interested in studying the psychology of Satanic cults and violence expressed through them. He developed his thesis around it, testified in many cases as an expert, and currently works as a therapist. In present day, Dustin’s life starts unravelling as the delicate tendrils that were holding it together gradually give way. His wife dies of cancer at the age of 43, his two sons have graduated from high school, and his foster brother Randy has been released from prison with the help of the Innocence Project working on his behalf. In current day, Dustin is drawn into investing a possible homicide cluster of drunk college boys who were determined accidental drownings by the police.
The books chapters are narrated by various different characters (sometimes in the first person and sometimes in the third) and they deeply reflect the mindset of the characters. The characters become more and more isolated from each, so the reader knows more about what is going on with them than they know what is going on with each other or in some cases themselves.
The chapters from Dustin’s mindset are particularly troubling. His thoughts and sense of reality seem to be losing footing. He takes up drinking and smoking. His thoughts are repeating themselves. He trails off not finishing thoughts or sentences. He wonders if he’s in a fugue state. His cousins and foster brother describe the young Dustin as trusting and gullible. It seems without his wife as an anchor, he has become so again, particularly with regards to his patient Aqil. Aqil is obsessed with the “murders” of drunk frat boys that have drown in waterways while intoxicated. Dustin becomes drawn into “investigating” these incidences with Aqil, presenting himself to others as an investigator or writer. He confides in Aqil so much that it seems there is a role reversal. In fact, he knows very little about Aqil, but has become emotionally dependent upon him. Dustin has trouble seeing what is right in front of him. His son is getting deeper into drugs and pretends to go to a college he never enrolled in. Dustin becomes an easy victim once again, trusting and gullible as always, without a strong sense of self.
This book brings up many questions. What are memories composed of? How reliable are our memories? Can a fictionalized statement in the past be remembered as a truth? What defines us? Is it our perception of ourselves or how others perceive us? How does grief shape our thoughts and mental stability?
This is a long, dark twisted mystery delving deep into the psychology of its characters. At points it’s hard to read as the writing reflects the altered and distressed mental states of its characters. It experiments with writing in chart format, chunking bits of information together in little boxes, letting the reader grasp that it is not making coherent sense with the character. I enjoyed the story and the writing, although it felt more difficult to get through because of it’s style. I felt the quotations at the beginning of each chapter were perfect for setting the chapter up for it’s intended purpose and were very thought provoking in and of themselves. The last chapter begins with this quote: “In the end it is the mystery that lasts and not the explanation.” – Sacheverell Sitwell, For Want of the Golden City.
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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