Author Archives: Paige

The Accomplice, by Joseph Kanon

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This is a great piece of espionage fiction! It was sexy and fast-paced. The dialogue was fierce and tangible. A spy-thriller-romance set against the backdrop of history made for a great read.

It is as described: In 1962, Aaron seeks to justify his Uncle Max’s last wish in hunting down a Nazi, Otto Schramm, who never payed for his war crimes. Otto served as a medical doctor for the Nazis, performing tortuous medical experiments on children and sending others to the gas chambers. Aaron flies to Buenos Aires from Hamburg to find Otto who has been using a different identity. But, after meeting Otto’s daughter, Aaron is unsure if he can fulfill his quest.

Thematic elements: War crimes is obviously a major topic, considering the subject and setting. Aaron internally struggles to rectify capturing Otto. How is justice served to the dead when their lives cannot be replaced? How do you properly punish someone responsible for the deaths of innocent victims? Does it matter how they died, once gone? Can a death serve a purpose, or can it be useful? Is there such thing as a useful death?

My technical notes: The first 17% is mainly dialogue where Max is trying to convince Aaron to find the ex-Nazi, Otto, and bring justice to the Jews that Otto harmed or killed by bringing Otto back to Germany for trial. Aaron’s actual espionage quest in action does not begin until 25% when he arrives in Buenos Aires. Most of the book is energetic dialogue between the characters, the characters in spy-action, or sexy time. The first 15-20% it took me while to adjust to the pacing of the names of characters, because their interaction moves so quickly. Otto Schramm, the Nazi criminal Aaron is chasing, is fictitious.

I really enjoyed the dynamic characters and the complexity of their relationships. I didn’t plan on reading this so quickly, but the relationships and plot were a driving force, so I finished it sooner than anticipated. Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for a copy! Opinions are my own.

Joseph Kanon is the author of The Good German which was made into a movie starring George Clooney and Cate Blanchett.
If you are interested in nonfiction about Nazi doctors, I highly recommend Doctors from Hell: The Horrific Account of Nazi Experiments on Humans. It is not very long, has pictures, and is written by a journalist, so it is not a very tedious nonfiction read.

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Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line, by Deepa Anappara

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I really enjoyed the atmosphere created. The environment reveals a distinct separation of classes and the varied lives according to social status and monetary value. Police negligence, religious violence, and educational values are exposed through this fictional tale. The language was great, and I enjoyed the story being told through the eyes of nine-year-old Jai.

“The man scratches at his feathery beard. “Kids around here disappear all the time,” he says. “One day they’ll have too much glue and decide to try their luck somewhere else. Another day they’ll get hit by a rubbish truck and end up in a hospital. Some other morning, they’ll be picked up by the police and sent to a juvenile home. We don’t make a fuss about anybody vanishing.””

The story itself became repetitive. After one child disappeared, Jai and Pari investigated and played detective, and I was into it. However, then the same thing just kept happening. Another would disappear, Jai and Pari would investigate, turn up empty handed and go home, then another disappear, etc. So, the progress wasn’t as engaging as I would have preferred.

For me, the most powerful chapters were “This Story Will Save Your Life” which were mostly stories of the djinns and other beliefs regarding wandering children. My favorite scene was when Jai and Pari went to the railway station. Because of the title and blurb, I have to admit that I thought a big portion of this novel would take place around the railway. However, there was only one big scene there in the beginning. I wasn’t too pleased with the ending, but I respect the underlying messages delivered to the reader through that conclusion.

I think the themes embedded in this story are significantly valuable. However, the progression of the story was uniform. Overall, I liked the story because of the important leitmotifs. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for this copy. Opinions are my own.

Author, Deepa Anappara was chosen for the Deborah Rogers award for her novel Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line.

More on railway children:
Railway Children in India
What happens to “railway” children

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Jar of Hearts, by Jennifer Hillier

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This is a fast-paced thriller and I really enjoyed it. The beginning starts off strong with hard evidence proving Geo helped, in some way, with the murder her best friend, Angela, when she was in high school. How would you be able to explain helping cover up the murder of your best friend fourteen years ago in high school after a party? With your boyfriend? Buried in your backyard? The body dismembered?

“It wasn’t just Angela who died that night. Part of Geo did, too, and she’s long suspected it was the best part of her.”

“Back and forth and back again, the saw tore her best friend open. She heard the moment when saw hit bone. It made a scraping sound.”

The whole time I was trying to decide if I liked Geo or not, and what the motive was. There are jail scenes, court room excitement, and teenage drama that all add up to a tangled network of secrets that lead to the truth of Angela’s murder. The truth isn’t fully revealed until the end; so, the reader must piece the entire story together page by page.

Since the murder of Geo’s best friend, Angela, happened in high school, all the flashbacks occur during their time as teenagers in high school. The attitudes, relationships, and choices made while teenagers were definitely reflective of their youth and development.

There were a few twists during the last half that made that portion more of a page turner. As you are getting to the end, more information is revealed that creates for a sobering ending. Although I was able to figure some things out, I wasn’t able predict everything. However, there were some things I felt seem far-fetched.

Within the first 30 or so pages there is a rape scene, and it will not be the last. There is a lot of sex and details regarding sex. Abusive relationships is also a notably detailed.

Taken from Jennifer Hillier’s website.

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The Puzzle of You, by Leah Mercer

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This is basically what the provided synopsis says it’s about, for the most part. Charlotte awakes from a crash losing the last 4 years of her memory. She forgot she had a daughter and struggles to accept the life she had been living the past four years. The first 2-4 chapters are Charlotte waking up in the hospital, thereafter the rest of the story is essentially Charlotte trying to decide if she wants to stay home with her daughter or go back to work while balancing an estranged relationship with her husband.

There is no mysterious element with her memory loss because flashbacks are added in throughout the story. Early on, starting with chapter 3, readers quickly know what her old life was like compared to her present life. After chapter 3, the chapters alternate between flashbacks and the present. Do not expect mystery with this.

The themes explored are family, marriage, and women in the workplace—explained below:

  • I love things that give women a voice and advocate for feminism, but this was not insightful towards either. The topic was touched on, albeit surface level, with Charlotte’s workplace and the treatment towards pregnant women, but it was not powerful enough; the story was too mundane.
  • Also, based on the synopsis provided I was expecting a story-line for mothers that was heartfelt and moving; something that was also emotionally family centered like the movie Click or The Family Man, but it was neither. I expected an emotional rekindling with her daughter or captivating connection, and it didn’t happen. The style was bland. We do see a marriage crumbling, and it is easy to relate to; however, it is isolated without intense depth.

The story progresses at a snail-moving pace. Even at 60% (marked on my Kindle) it was still dragging. At 60%, Charlotte is still holding onto remnants of her past (job) while trying to accept bits of her present (daughter); nothing else has happened, the story has stayed completely stagnant at this point. This is much of the story: Charlotte prioritizing and weighing her options. No twists, turns, emotional scenes, or drama. After 60%, it stays on this same path.

Most of the story was anticlimactic, as mentioned above. The climax, in my opinion, was chapter 47; before this chapter the characters experience no growth or change, and little to nothing happened prior to this chapter. Please note there are only 48 chapters.

All in all, this is a story lacking a stimulating plot-line about a mother deciding to go back to work in order to climb the corporate ladder or stay at home with her toddler daughter. While this is a great premise and easy to relate to, feeling like you must choose between your career and a child, it wasn’t executed well. It was very monotonous and simplistic, repeating the same ideas again and again.

*This was an Amazon First Reads pick for October 2019. I do not recommend it.*

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Westering Women, by Sandra Dallas

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In 1852, Maggie decides to respond to a broadsheet advertising for strong and good Christian women to embark on a 2,000-mile journey to find a husband in California. Running from her past in Chicago, Maggie hopes no one will recognize her along the way. Shortly after they begin their travels, the group of women led by two pastors experience countless hardships, loss, and sacrifice.

“Sometimes the unknown ahead is preferable to the known we have left behind.”

Misogyny, disparity, and injustice are revolving attributes surrounding the myriad of stories told by women that Maggie encounters on the Overland Trail. We see a period of inequality for women that often approved of domestic abuse if the reasoning was passable; for example, if the woman said something the male did not like.

“Women are not as smart as we are. Who knows what will turn their heads. They can be foolish.”

“Why was it all right for him to beat her so savagely but wrong for her to fight back?”

Thematically, the Overland Trail represents a multitude of symbolic comparisons. As the story progresses, such as life, values and priorities of the women on the journey begin to change based on new experiences and developing circumstances.

Chapter by chapter, history is felt during the excursion in the setting, the environment, and the harrowing situations the women face along the way.

“The devil designed the trail. You must travel through hell to reach California.”

The language was appropriate for the time period, though sometimes dry. I did not feel too emotionally attached to the characters, and think maybe it was because there were so many women involved in the story that it was hard to attach myself. I could relate to them, but I couldn’t connect with them. There were some gripping twists along the way, but I also felt like some of the story could have been condensed.

My technical notes: The first 13% sets the foundation for Maggie’s background, the qualifications for signing up, and prerequisites for the journey. The journey to California then begins at chapter 4 (or 13%) and continues until 94% of the book. Thereafter, the last 4% of the story (94-98%) loose ends are tied up. The chapters are told chronologically by date, and the dates range from February 22, 1852- September 30, 1852. On their journey they stop at a fair number of landmarks and notable sites along the way including but not limited to Independence Rock, the City of Rocks, Gold Rush Alley, Ft. Kearny, Ft. Laramie, and the Sierras.

Overall, I liked the novel and think the story of what emigrants encountered on the western trails that is fictionally mirrored through Maggie’s tale is astounding. I recommend this to advocates of feminism and 19th century historical fiction readers.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley, and Sandra Dallas for this copy. Opinions are my own.

Overland Trail
The trails western emigrants took during this period. In this novel, the women did traverse on the Mormon Trail and the California Trail which can be seen on the map.

Visit Sandra Dallas’ website to learn more about this novel.

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The Moonshiner’s Daughter, by Donna Everhart

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North Carolina, 1959-61: Jessie Sasser, a young teen girl, struggles to feel accepted by her family who runs an illicit moonshining business. Not only because it is illegal, but because it can cause drunkenness or ultimately death, Jessie refuses to support her family. Unpopular, self-conscious, and motherless, she feels shame about her family’s reputation for moonshining and worthlessness about herself. But when harm comes her family’s way, Jessie must decide between her family and her integrity.

“I didn’t want to be known as the moonshiner’s daughter.”

A big topic explored in this novel is eating disorders. Very early on, Jessie’s eating disorder is introduced, and she struggles with her self-value and appearance throughout the novel.

“Out the windows to my left were my classmates standing or sitting under a perfect blue sky, a buttery sun shining warm on their flawless world. I saw myself in their midst, a mar on their perfection, a weed in their manicured garden.”

The names of characters are simply amazing. And, in my opinion the name “Sasser” is one of the most epic last names for a Southern family. The southern language was remarkable, and the setting and environment set by the author was outstanding. The stark reality of Jessie’s situation with her family feels tangible.

Historically, this novel was extremely well-researched. After searching the internet because of this novel, I came to realize the area of the setting Wilkes County, NC was a huge moonshining contributor in the south during the 50’s and 60’s.  The cars to transport the juice, the moonshining process, and the rivalry seem to be developed from genuine past reports. As the author mentions in the end, moonshining was prevalent in Wilkes County, NC because voters continue to delay the license of regulated Alcohol Beverage Control stores.

1950’s Oldsmobile Rocket 88- Similar to Daddy Sasser’s car he used to run his shine.

The first few chapters started off strong, but then it started to get slow here and there. I experienced a few static moments with the pacing in the first half of the story-line. On the other hand, I can see the slow-moving pace in the beginning could benefit the solid foundation set for characters and the environment they live in. I really felt like I knew Jessie and her family; I felt connected and emotionally entangled with Jesse and her family. The last half, of course, was my favorite and everything was woven together beautifully. The very ending, the epilogue, truly made my heart sink.

There is no romance in this novel. Triggers in this novel include self-harm through eating disorders and abuse to a child.

I really liked this story and recommend it to lovers of Southern historical fiction. This would make for a great group or book club read. There is also a “Reading Group Guide” with questions included in the back.

Willie Clay Call- The Uncatchable Moonshiner

Why moonshine?

 Moonshiner History

Women’s Health- Eating Disorders

I won an advanced print copy of this via Free Book Friday on Donna Everhart’s blog. Thank you!

 Click here to watch the book trailer for The Moonshiner’s Daughter.

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When We Were Vikings, by Andrew David McDonald

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I absolutely loved being inside of Zelda’s mind. Zelda, a high functioning young adult diagnosed with fetal alcohol syndrome, has something about her that everyone can relate to. While exploring life’s boundaries, she often compares her world to the Viking world. Though others consider Zelda “not normal”, she considers her life a quest and strives to fulfill her legacy while searching for identity, battling for independence, and overcoming life’s villains.

“I told him that I was used to it. “People call me a retard all the time.””

Her older brother and caregiver, Gert, really pulled on my heart strings as well. He doesn’t always make the right decisions, but I felt like he had good intentions. Gert truly represents the depth and complexity of life’s unexpected turns. Gert’s character speaks volumes, and it is difficult to fully love him or fully hate him.

“We do not have very much money, but Gert is powerful at surviving life’s battles.”

Sexual freedom among the cognitively disabled is a topic explored in this novel. Zelda has intimate feelings for her boyfriend and wants to explore those feelings like most other young adults would. (Please note that there is a long segment on this topic.)

The language was very colorful, and I loved it. Zelda often utilizes her “Word of the Day”, but she also mimics the language of her peers and environment. As a result, this book is filled with adult language, but it made it so much more palpable.

“Those people, the ones who don’t trust Gert, are shit-heels and fuck-dicks, because Gert is one of the smartest people I know, and the bravest…”

I think this book will create excellent conversations and highly recommend it for a buddy read or group read. It has several controversial topics and covers a lot of current issues with cognitively disabled young adults. Though sensitive in subject areas, if you do have a respectful and close reading group it would inspire valuable discussion.

“And sometimes the heroes of legends have to break the rules in order to save the people they care about.”

What are the differences between responsibility and accountability? How do we decide where accountability falls? Can someone who loves you be bad for you? I really enjoyed this book and couldn’t put it down. The last chapter, especially the very last page, had me in tears. I think we can all learn many lessons from Zelda. Thank you Gallery/Scout Press, NetGalley, and Andrew David MacDonald for this copy. Opinions are my own.

More on these topics:
Living with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
Cognitive Disability and Sexuality
Employment with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

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The World’s Best Dad Jokes for Kids Volume 3, by Lisa Swerling & Ralph Lazar

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These jokes are appropriate for all ages. While some are your typical “dad jokes”, kids will simply find many of these flat out funny. I read some of these to my eight year old and she giggled and giggled. One of my favorites was “When is the moon hungry? When its full.” One of her favorites can be found in the picture below.

Another one of her favorite jokes was “She has an addiction to cheese… …but it’s only mild.”  However, some of them she didn’t quite get or it took longer to understand than others. An example of one that took her a bit longer to “get” is below.

We both loved the illustrations that were included, and they helped to understand the joke. She would always make sure to look at the illustration, and if I moved to quickly she would make sure to ask and go back so that she could see the illustration.

There are some challenging words and “punny” words throughout, so I would say this book is on a second grade level if it going to be read and comprehended independently.
Thanks to Andrews McMeel Publishing and Netgalley for this copy. Opinions are my own.

You Have Arrived At Your Destination, by Amor Towles

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Amor Towles proves he is the master of words, yet again. In this science fiction novella, he explores nature vs. nurture. By using foundational information, biographical histories, predictive behavior patterns, and patterned growth development, Vitek promotes a new type of genetic engineering that the main character, Sam, is confronted with. But, given the choice to alleviate one of the more unsubstantial characteristics, what would be sacrificed and how would that effect the child’s future?

“We’re all born with certain strengths which, ideally, are fostered by our parents and positively reinforced through education and peer interaction. But our strengths don’t serve us well in every circumstance at every phase of our lives. As we grow and enter new contexts, our longer-term strengths can suddenly hamper our worldly progress, which in turn can create dissonance at home.”

I sat at the edge of my seat totally enthralled. The audio book narrated by David Harbour (of the show Stranger Things) was completely immersive, and I highly recommend it. Not sure if I liked the ending, but the story in it’s entirety was still amazing.

This is one of one of six novellas in the series Forward that is set in the future. The collection of short stories for Forward was curated by Blake Crouch, and includes stories by authors such as Andy Weir, Veronica Roth, and Paul Trembley.

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Children of the Stars, by Mario Escobar

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Falling somewhere between an odyssey and a saga, this is a tale of exile reminding us that kindness and humanity will radiate in the season of sorrow.

1942: The parents of Jacob and Moses have sent the boys to live with their aunt in Paris since the war is getting worse. On the streets, the boys get swept away in the Velodrome d’Hiver roundup in Paris. Choosing to escape, Jacob and Moses return to their aunt’s home, discover old letters from their parents, and decide to go find them.

Through Jacob and Moses’ journey to reunite with their parents, we see an assortment of people with their own ethnicity, history, ideals, and stories. The variety of people they encounter leave you seeing the variations of WWII through an array of lenses.

I really enjoyed that it centered around the viewpoint of children; two boys holding on to what remains of childhood. The relationship between Jacob and Moses is so sweet and childlike though war attempts to blockade their innocence.

“Observing the happiness of others always makes the world make a little more sense all of a sudden, makes suffering a little more bearable, makes grief a little less suffocating.”

“When you’re young, you dream about making the world a better place, overturning injustice and inequality. But within time you just settle for getting by.”

“Don’t ever change. Sometimes the world can turn us into something we shouldn’t be.”

“Humans are nothing more than the sum of their affections and the connections they make in life. When those ties break, loneliness destroys what little is left in an uninhabited heart.”

The author confirms the brothers, Jacob and Moses, are fictitious. However, they represent the real children who traveled across Europe as refugees during WWII. Historically, Mario Escobar gracefully blends facts with fiction. He addresses areas in Europe that are commonly suppressed amid a defying WWII history. Several authentic historical characters are involved that include Andre Trocme, Daniel Trome, and Edouard Theis.

4 out of 5 star rating explained: While tender and touching, there were some implausible situations and cliché conditions. Also, their voyage to find their parents continued relentlessly, so I always knew what to expect to happen…they would keep going to find their parents.

Overall, it is a feel-good novel that takes you across Europe with two children during war.There is a lot of historical content and I found myself Googling a lot of the names and places. There is mild violence, no vulgar language, and no sex. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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More on this topic:
Andre and Magda Trocme
Le Chambon-sur-Lignon
Phillipe Petain and the Vichy puppets

Jewish children hidden in Le Chambon
Jewish children hidden in Le Chambon.
description
Jewish and non-Jewish refugee children sheltered in Le Chambon.

Mario Escobar is the author of many novels including Auschwitz Lullaby. This title, Children of the Stars, was originally published in Spanish under the title Los niños de la estrella amarilla.