Tag: reading

Categories
books and reading

Booth

Title: Booth

Author: Jason Pellegrini

Genre: Time travel fiction, science fiction, historical fiction

PopSugar Reading Challenge prompt: a book about a fresh start or do-over

At some the author Jason Pellegrini entered my twitter feed. He’s a Stephen King junkie like I am, so I’m pretty sure I followed him for that reason. When he offered up a pdf of one of his books in exchange for an honest review, I gladly took him up on it. And since I’m King fan, he felt Booth was the one I’d like the most. And this novel is very reminiscent of 11/22/63. In this King novel, a character goes back in time to prevent the assassination of JFK. In this book, not only does a character go back in time to prevent a death, the story is also one of redemption, like A Christmas Carol.

From Goodreads: At dawn, on the day of his execution, Joseph Bateman finds himself reflecting on his life, one filled with poor decisions and evil people. Even his lifelong best friend played a pivotal role in earning Joseph his seat on death row. A phenomenon occurs as the electricity meant to kill Joseph is sent through him, and his essence is ripped from the body he has known his entire life and thrown into a new one. Only the body he now inhabits isn’t new at all; it is the body of a person who lived over a hundred years before Joseph’s birth. Now living in an unfamiliar era of history and trapped inside a foreign body, Joseph learns he has been sent back for a reason: to earn redemption for his damned soul and to find a sense of peace he has never known. All he needs to do to get there is to prevent one of history’s most infamous murders.

The execution doesn’t even happen until over halfway through the book. The first half is just getting to know Joseph and see how he got to this point in his life. I found the first half much more interesting. There’s a good chance that’s because I enjoy realistic fiction over science fiction. That said, the book was great overall. Once the execution happens, the plot quickly moves forward, and Joseph’s fate is, you assume, on the path to redemption. I found Joseph’s story captivating and definitely recommend this book.

Categories
books and reading

The 57 Bus: A True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime That Changed Their Lives

Title: The 57 Bus: A True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime That Changed Their Lives

Author: Dashka Slater

Genre: True Crime, LGBTQ+ issues

PopSugar Prompt: a book in a different format than you usually read (ebook, audiobook, graphic novel, etc).

As much as I love podcasts, I’m not a big audiobook person. I like that I can listen to podcasts in small chunks, doing dishes, laundry, running errands, but to listen to a book in small chunks is really hard. I just forget what happened last time. Yesterday, I had massive chores ahead of me. I knew I was in for the long haul of several hours. Through the amazing https://www.audiobooksync.com/ site, every summer I download free audiobooks. They give you two choices, you pick one. Knowing I wanted to listen to the whole book yesterday, I selected the shortest one and put it on 1.5 speed. Voila! Entire book in one day.

From Goodreads:

One teenager in a skirt.
One teenager with a lighter.
One moment that changes both of their lives forever.

If it weren’t for the 57 bus, Sasha and Richard never would have met. Both were high school students from Oakland, California, one of the most diverse cities in the country, but they inhabited different worlds. Sasha, a white teen, lived in the middle-class foothills and attended a small private school. Richard, a black teen, lived in the crime-plagued flatlands and attended a large public one. Each day, their paths overlapped for a mere eight minutes. But one afternoon on the bus ride home from school, a single reckless act left Sasha severely burned, and Richard charged with two hate crimes and facing life imprisonment. The case garnered international attention, thrusting both teenagers into the spotlight.

I’ve been told how amazing this book is. I knew it was non-fiction but that was all I knew. So when we first meet Sasha and learn that they are an agender person, I realized the magnitude of what this book was about. It wasn’t just about two teens involved in a crime, but it was potentially a hate crime against an LGBTQ+ individual. We learn Sasha’s backstory and how they came to be known as Sasha. Born a male, Sasha never really felt truly male nor truly female, hence the agender decision. They (pronoun of Sasha’s choice) renamed themself Sasha because it’s a gender neutral name and started wearing skirts because that was the clothing they felt was most comfortable.

One day riding the 57 bus in Oakland, Sasha’s life collided with Richard’s. He was a good kid, but he had made some dumb mistakes, fighting, skipping school, bad grades, but he was really trying to turn things around. He and a friend saw Sasha, wondered why a boy was wearing a skirt, and decided to play a prank, or so they thought. Richard took a lighter to Sasha’s skirt, fully expecting a little flame that Sasha would quickly pat out and would go on about their day. However, as Sasha was sleeping, the fire quickly erupted into a fireball, burning their legs from thigh to calf.

The entire book lets you into both Sasha’s and Richard’s lives before and after the first. You really get to know these kids. Richard made a poor decision, but had Sasha not been wearing a skirt, the fire never would have happened. Make no mistake: Richard’s decision was horrendous. He was also 16 and severely underestimated what would happen. That’s no excuse. He deserved any and all punishment he received. I’ve taught 16-year-old, and boy can they be poor decision makers. I absolutely do not justify his actions, but I see how Sasha and their family came to the realization that forgiving Richard (who took full responsibility) was the right thing to do.

This book was fantastic. Pieced together through social media posts, news articles, public records, and interviews, the author does an amazing job of telling the full story. The book, while telling a terrible story, is one of optimism. Sasha, despite the fire, has moved on to college, living a great life. Richard, since he took full responsibility and has the support of his family, could really turn his life around. This book is critical for students to learn empathy for people who might look different, act different, or feel differently than them. I’d love to see every high school student read this one!

Categories
books and reading

Mind of Winter

Title: Mind of Winter

Author: Laura Kasischke

Genre: Psychological Fiction

PopSugar Reading Challenge: a book that has fewer than 1000 Amazon or Goodreads reviews

I love a good plot twist. Some are done so poorly that it ruins the entire book. If a book is headed one way and the twist makes sense, sure go right ahead. The author should be leading us down that path to begin with. But the ones that irritate me the most are the ones that exist simply to shock the reader. The ones that undo the entire plot and make no sense whatsoever. The author severely underestimates the reader, and it infuriates me. So, when I hear a book has a good plot twist, as this one does, I’m both curious and skeptical. I can report that this book was wholly satisfying from page one to the very end.

From Goodreads: On a snowy Christmas morning, Holly Judge awakens with the fragments of a nightmare floating on the edge of her consciousness. Something followed them from Russia. Thirteen years ago, she and her husband Eric adopted baby Tatty, their pretty, black-haired Rapunzel, from the Pokrovka Orphanage #2. Now, at fifteen, Tatiana is more beautiful than ever—and disturbingly erratic. As a blizzard rages outside, Holly and Tatiana are alone. With each passing hour, Tatiana’s mood darkens, and her behavior becomes increasingly frightening, until Holly finds she no longer recognizes her daughter.

The story takes place on just one day. And as the book unfolds, the creep factor ramps up. This book isn’t in the horror genre, but it’s definitely spooky, and you wonder just what is going on. Just like Kasischke’s other book I read In a Perfect World, the story is told present day, but you learn a lot about the character’s past at the same time. A lot of this is critical to understanding what happened in Russia, how Tatiana grew up, and what changes she’s going through right now. Some of it is just pointless back story, though. At one point Holly picks up her iPhone and then the story uses several paragraphs to explain how her husband hates iPhones. I just didn’t find this information all that relevant because the words could have been used to further the main plot. That said, the book was fantastic, and I highly recommend it.

Categories
books and reading

Three-Ring Circus: Kobe, Shaq, Phil and the Crazy Years of the Lakers Dynasty

Title: Three-Ring Circus: Kobe, Shaq, Phil, and the Crazy Years of the Lakers Dynasty

Author: Jeff Pearlman

Genre: non-fiction, sports, basketball

PopSugar Challenge Prompt: A book about a subject you’re passionate about

I have been a Lakers fan my entire life. Magic Johnson is my all-time favorite player. The day he retired, I cried. Although the Lakers are mostly great, I remember the rough years, too. My blood still runs purple and gold, no matter what. I loved reading When the Game Was Ours, co-written by Magic and Larry Bird and the Dream Team about the 1992 Olympics. But reading about the time *after* those glory days was new territory for me.

From Goodreads: In the history of modern sport, there have never been two high-level teammates who loathed each other the way Shaquille O’Neal loathed Kobe Bryant, and Kobe Bryant loathed Shaquille O’Neal. From public sniping and sparring, to physical altercations and the repeated threats of trade, it was warfare. And yet, despite eight years of infighting and hostility, by turns mediated and encouraged by coach Phil Jackson, the Shaq-Kobe duo resulted in one of the greatest dynasties in NBA history. Together, the two led the Lakers to three straight championships and returned glory and excitement to Los Angeles. 

When Kobe died, I cried. I can’t even explain why. I was never a huge Kobe fan. But the loss hit me hard. He was my age, and I just can’t imagine dying the way he did. And the man he became was not the man he always was. He’s awful in this book. Just one of the worst people you could meet. Rude, selfish, standoffish, you name it. His talent was undeniable, but he also never shared the ball to elevate his teammates. As lovable as Shaq was, Kobe was just a ball of frustration to his peers, the media, coaches, basically anyone he came across.

As much as I enjoyed my trip down memory lane, it was hard to read Kobe in that light. I just had no idea how awful he was. It would have been interesting to hear from him after the book came out to see what he said about how he changed as a person, assuming he did. Maybe he just put on a better show for people in the public. In any case, the book was great. The author did a great job adding in humor to a potentially dry subject. Any fan of the NBA should definitely read this one.

Categories
books and reading

Sing, Unburied, Sing

Title: Sing, Unburied, Sing

Author: Jesmyn Ward

Genre: own voices, family struggles

My goal every year is to read as many own voices books as possible. The ones that stand out this year include Hurricane Summer, The Broken Earth series, Song of Solomon, Little Fires Everywhere, Miracle Creek, Leaving Atlanta, The Nickel Boys (book of the year for me), Monday’s Not Coming, and Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe. And I will definitely be adding Sing, Unburied, Sing to the list.

From Goodreads: In Jesmyn Ward’s first novel since her National Book Award–winning Salvage the Bones, this singular American writer brings the archetypal road novel into rural twenty-first-century America. Drawing on Morrison and Faulkner, The Odyssey and the Old Testament, Ward gives us an epochal story, a journey through Mississippi’s past and present that is both an intimate portrait of a family and an epic tale of hope and struggle. Ward is a major American writer, multiply awarded and universally lauded, and in Sing, Unburied, Sing she is at the height of her powers.

Jojo and his toddler sister, Kayla, live with their grandparents, Mam and Pop, and the occasional presence of their drug-addicted mother, Leonie, on a farm on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi. Leonie is simultaneously tormented and comforted by visions of her dead brother, which only come to her when she’s high; Mam is dying of cancer; and quiet, steady Pop tries to run the household and teach Jojo how to be a man. When the white father of Leonie’s children is released from prison, she packs her kids and a friend into her car and sets out across the state for Parchman farm, the Mississippi State Penitentiary, on a journey rife with danger and promise.

Sing, Unburied, Sing grapples with the ugly truths at the heart of the American story and the power, and limitations, of the bonds of family. Rich with Ward’s distinctive, musical language, Sing, Unburied, Sing is a majestic new work and an essential contribution to American literature.

The plot of this book is simple- drive to get this man from prison. But the plot, while meaningful, is the last thing that matters in this book. The language is just perfect. I just couldn’t believe how gorgeous some of the phrases were. The characters are rich and dynamic. Jojo is the best kid you could ask for. He’s kind and full of love for his sister and grandparents. But he also needs his mother’s love, which he will never earn…she’s not a good mother. The bond between Jojo and his sister, Kayla, is critical for her happiness. He’s the person she reaches for first every morning. And as a 13-year-old, he’s so thoughtful and gentle with her.

This book is the first I’ve read of Ward’s, but I will be reading Salvage the Bones for sure. I’m always so skeptical when EVERYONE loves a book, but this one absolutely lived up to the reviews. I cannot recommend this strongly enough.

Categories
books and reading

The Lucky Ones

Title: The Lucky Ones

Author: Mark Edwards

Genre: thriller, murder mystery, police procedural

I love Kindle First Reads. Because I have a Prime account, I get a free book every month from a not as well-known author. I’ve read some great ones like Beneath a Scarlet Sky, In the Dark, The Collector Trilogy, A River in Darkness, I Choose You, The Winter Over, Find Me, and plenty more that I haven’t gotten around to, yet. And I love the fact that these are authors that I haven’t heard of, but once I am aware of them via this program, I end up reading more of their work. Such is the case here. I have purchased several of Mark Edwards’s books just because this one was so great.

From Goodreads: It was the happiest day of her life. Little did she know it was also the last.

When a woman’s body is found in the grounds of a ruined priory, Detective Imogen Evans realises she is dealing with a serial killer—a killer whose victims appear to die in a state of bliss, eyes open, smiles forever frozen on their faces.

A few miles away, single dad Ben Hofland believes his fortunes are changing at last. Forced to move back to the sleepy village where he grew up following the breakdown of his marriage, Ben finally finds work. What’s more, the bullies who have been terrorizing his son, Ollie, disappear. For the first time in months, Ben feels lucky. But he is unaware that someone is watching him and Ollie. Someone who wants nothing but happiness for Ben. Happiness…and death.

Everything worked for me in this book, which says a lot because I’m so picky. The characters were great. Ben’s a good guy who you want to see happy. Imogen is a no-nonsense detective, but you can see she truly cares about her job and helping people. The plot was tight, and by the time you find out just what’s happening and why, it all makes sense because Edwards created the path right to it, without you really knowing it.

I am constantly frustrated by “famous” authors writing crappy stories and getting away with it, when people like Edwards or Loreth Anne White who wrote In the Dark aren’t as well known. But these two authors wrote two of the best thrillers I read this year…. and I’ve read dozens….it’s my go-to genre. But they both did it spectacularly well, and I can’t wait to read more from them.

Categories
books and reading

The Shining Girls

Title: The Shining Girls

Author: Lauren Beukes

Genre: murder mystery, thriller, time travel

I am a pretty snarky person. I’d like to think that it’s funny rather than mean. That’s certainly how I intend it to be, at least. And snark is hard in print, however, this book’s main character manages it perfectly, so well done Lauren Beukes! Kirby is funny, smart, and a badass survivor.

From Goodreads: In Depression-era Chicago, Harper Curtis finds a key to a house that opens on to other times. But it comes at a cost. He has to kill the shining girls: bright young women, burning with potential. Curtis stalks them through their lives across different eras until, in 1989, one of his victims, Kirby Mazrachi, survives and starts hunting him back.

Working with a former homicide reporter who is falling for her, Kirby races against time and reason to unravel an impossible mystery. 

The time-travel aspect is a bit confusing at first, even though the chapters are labeled with a date and the character it focuses on. The events are told out of order, so you see the result of something before you see the actual event happen. But if you keep reading, it all comes together. The book is definitely worth sticking with. I really enjoyed this creative thriller. Through the non-traditional narrative, I was left guessing and thinking about what was going on. I would love to read more from Beukes and definitely recommend this one!

Categories
books and reading

In a Perfect World

Title: In a Perfect World

Author: Laura Kasischke

Genre: family, plague

My goal since the 2020 Popsugar challenge ended is to read as many books as I could that I own but have never read. There are hundreds. I am a book collector. I love Half-Price Books and Friends of the Library sales. I’ve recently decided to stop buying Kindle books, even if they are cheap, if my library owns them. Side note: if you have Chrome, Firefox, or Edge check out the library extension. This brilliant tech lets you connect to your library and when you browse a book on Amazon, you can see if your library owns it and how many copies are available for checkout. Back to the book: I’ve had this on my shelf for ages, and I’m sure I bought it because it was dystopian of sorts. I’m using a lottery system to pick my books (seriously, I have so many that I can’t decide) and this book won this round.

From Goodreads: In a Perfect World is critically acclaimed writer Laura Kasischke’s novel of marriage, motherhood, and the choices we make when we have no choices left. Kasischke, the author of The Life Before Her Eyes, tells the story of Jiselle, a young flight attendant who’s just settled into a fairy tale life with her new husband and stepchildren. But as a mysterious new illness spreads rapidly throughout the country, she begins to realize that her marriage, her stepchildren, and their perfect world are all in terrible danger . . .

This book is more family drama than plague. And now that we are *not to jinx it* on the other side of Covid with vaccines out, I can safely say that the societal breakdown that happens in this book won’t happen in our world. Food stops being delivered, animals go bonkers, people die in mysterious ways, the plague is never really explained, and borders are closed. Reading a book like this before our own pandemic would have sent my anxiety over the edge. But it’s not nearly as bad now that I know we are finally headed in the right direction.

Categories
books and reading

Hurricane Summer

Title: Hurricane Summer

Author: Asha Bromfield

Genre: YA lit/ own voices

Thank you Netgalley for this book.

The own voices world in YA lit is exploding, and I love it. Teens don’t need to be forced to read the “classics.” What a way to create disengagement. There are TONS of amazing books to use as resources for high school teachers. This book should absolutely be one of them, as well.

Tilla and her little sister, Mia, are leaving their mother behind in Canada to visit their dad in Jamaica for the summer. Dad spends part of his time in both countries, but Jamaica is home. They go to the country where there’s no hot water, plenty of kids to run around with, and adventure to be discovered. Through the book, Tilla is on a self-discovery, although that wasn’t her intention when she left home. At 18, she just wanted to spend time with her dad.

This book tackles some really important issues facing kids these days… classism, colorism, young love, loss, destruction, betrayal, and above all, finding yourself. The book is full of gorgeous Patois, which is usually hard for me to read, but the lyrical speaking was easy to follow in this one. My trick: don’t focus on the individual words, but get the gist of what’s being said. You will quickly get used to the dialect.

This book is so well-written with the hurricane being both literal and metaphorical. Tilla deals with some really hard stuff while in Jamaica, but the actual hurricane is the least of the troubles. I think teens will love this book. It will speak to their hearts and souls in so many ways.

Categories
books and reading

Ready Player Two

I LOVED Ready Player One because it was one of the most fun, creative books I’d ever read. So when I heard a sequel was coming out, I was in, no matter what. I was excited to revisit the OASIS and my friends of the High Five. And this book, while no longer unique, felt like a familiar journey.

From Goodreads: An unexpected quest. Two worlds at stake. Are you ready?

Days after Oasis founder James Halliday’s contest, Wade Watts makes a discovery that changes everything. Hidden within Halliday’s vault, waiting for his heir to find, lies a technological advancement that will once again change the world and make the Oasis a thousand times more wondrous, and addictive, than even Wade dreamed possible. With it comes a new riddle and a new quest. A last Easter egg from Halliday, hinting at a mysterious prize. And an unexpected, impossibly powerful, and dangerous new rival awaits, one who will kill millions to get what he wants. Wade’s life and the future of the Oasis are again at stake, but this time the fate of humanity also hangs in the balance.

For some reason, this book is getting mixed reviews. I guess if you were looking for something new, you’d be disappointed. If you’re looking forward to the same kind of story, you’re in luck. I’m in the latter camp. I thought the book was great. Lots of fun seeing Wade and his friends again, plenty of 80s nostalgia, a big quest, and defeating a bad guy. It’s been years since I read the first, but it was easy to pick up right where it leaves off. If you can remember the basics, you’re fine. Definitely worth reading if you want to dive into the OASIS again.