Sunday Salon: Short Story Sunday & Reading Challenge Wrap Up

It is after midnight, and, therefore, technically Sunday. I was searching through my TBR collection for a particular book, which, unfortunately, I was unable to find. I am sure it is there, hiding somewhere among the masses. Meanwhile, my oldest cat has crawled under the guest bed for a little nap. This is not odd behavior at all for a cat, and it is probably all the more appealing because the room is generally off limits to the animals. Coaxing him out will take longer than if I let him be. So, in the meantime I have come across Interpreter of Maladies, a collection of short stories by Jhumpa Lahiri. I think we have time for one story. And a fitting title it is!

"A Temporary Matter," short story by Jhumpa Lahiri
from The Interpreter of Maladies
Mariner Books, 1999

They were happy once, before their child was born dead. After that, it was as if Shoba and Shukumar lived completely separate lives, only under the same roof. Shoba would spend her days at the office, often working late into the night, while Shukumar stayed at home, working on his dissertation. They both suffer through their loss in their own ways. Alone. When their electricity is shut off several nights in a row for repairs to be completed in the neighborhood, Shoba and Shukumar find themselves spending the time together, swapping confessions.

"A Temporary Matter" is a sad story about how grief and loss can create a rift between two people. Instead of coming together in their sorrow, the couple drifted apart. Shoba spent most of her time working and keeping busy, trying to forget. Shukumar, on the other hand, rarely wanted to leave the house, sleeping late and hardly studying. I fell instantly into the story, Jhumpa Lahiri's writing full of the underlying emotions of her characters. My heart ached for both Shoba and Shukumar.

It is late. I want to read on, but I know I should stop now and go to sleep. Parker has found his way out from under the guest bed, and it is safe to close the door. The TBR room is animal free once again.

Oh, what the hey. I will read one more story in bed. Just one more.

Have you read a short story lately? I'd love to hear about it! Be sure and drop by Ready When You Are, C.B. for Short Story Sunday & The Book Mine Set for Short Story Monday, the hosts for this event.

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I completed three challenges, went above and beyond in two really. I decided against doing proper summaries this time around. Call me lazy or a curmudgeon, if you like. My enthusiasm for reading challenges has waned considerably. I have been pondering this for awhile, even tried wringing out some small bit of that excitement I had when I joined them all. Nothing. Not a speck. Oh, wait! I think I felt a little spark. It's very weak, but it is there. Considering I am still actively involved in a few challenges, I had better nurse that little guy back to full flame--maybe half a flame will do.

I love the idea of challenges: the camaraderie among participants (and all the cheerleaders who offer encouragement along the way), the list making and the, well, challenge. I have great admiration for those who host the challenges. It takes a lot of work and organization. It must be hard to keep up with all the participants--and the bigger the challenge is, I imagine it can become impossible. Many thanks to all of you who dare to host reading challenges!

Challenge Status:

ARC Challenge

Host: Teddy Rose from So Many Precious Books, So Little Time
Goal: Level 1: Read 12 Advanced Reader’s Copies (ARC) or review books; Level 2, Overachiever: Read 24 ARC or review books; and Level 3, ARC Obsessed: Read 25+ ARC or review books.
Time Frame: January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2009

I read 28 at last count. When I first began reviewing books for outside sources, I was not so good at saying no. I ended up reading a few books I would rather have not read once all was said and done. I quickly learned to be pickier, only choosing books I really wanted to read, might buy myself if given the chance and, of course, thought I would enjoy reading. The problem is that I have eclectic taste and much appeals to me. As often as I told myself at the beginning of the year I would not over commit myself like I had the year before, I still did, just at a slower rate. This summer I re-adjusted again. I am still playing catch-up and will be for awhile, but I am now smarter about my choices and realistic in my goals. Mostly.

New Authors Challenge

Host: Jackie from Literary Escapism
Goal: Read books by 20 new authors. Books/Authors may be listed anytime during the year.
Time Frame: January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2009

So far this year, I have read 28 books by new to me authors. I have discovered many new authors this year and will continue to do so before the year is out. Some of the books I read were by first time published authors and others have been publishing books for years. I love the thrill of being at the beginning of a new author's career. And there's nothing that beats falling in love with a book and realizing that the author has an entire blacklist of books to explore.

(refer to the sidebar for a list of the books I read for this challenge)

Host: Michelle from 1 More Chapter
Goal: Read a minimum of 9 books first published in 2009. Books can be listed anytime during the year.
Restrictions: No children’s/YA titles allowed and at least 5 of the titles must be fiction.
Time Frame: January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2009

I have read 19 so far that were all published this year. Before I began blogging, I happily read books from years past. I did not pay much attention to the bestsellers' lists and much less to the various book award nominees and winners. Besides, I didn't (and still do not) like paying full price for a hardcover. As many books as I buy, I have to draw the line somewhere. I still enjoy reading older books, but I find it impossible not to be drawn to the new releases, especially with all the excitement surrounding each one. These are often not bestsellers, although you wouldn't know it by the amount of enthusiasm around the blogosphere. I catch myself being surprised when one of my offline reader buddies hasn't heard of a book that is the talk of the town online.

I have noticed too that I tend to receive more comments and hits on posts about newer books than I do older ones. More people read the newer books, or have at least heard about them, and so there seems to be more interest in those. The only exception to that rule is if it is a classic.

Continuing Challenges:
War Through the Generations: WWII Challenge - 3/5
Chunkster Challenge - 2/3
50 Books of Our Time Project - 0/1

Sookie Stackhouse Reading Challenge - Technically completed; still open in case new book released before deadline.
Herding Cats II - Met the minimum requirement


This Week In Reading Mews:

Reviews Posted:
De Marco Empire by J Lou McCartney
Haunting Bombay by Shilpa Agarwal

Currently Reading:
The Last Dickens by Matthew Pearl
Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri

New Additions to my TBR collection:
The Man of My Life by Manuel Vázquez Montalbán (review book from publicist)

Posts of Interest This Week:
Monday At the Movies: Good ol' Dad
Giving Voice to the Past: A Guest Post by Shilpa Agarwal
TGIF: Wishlists & a Nearly Endless List of Questions for My Dear Readers

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© 2009, Wendy Runyon of Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved.
If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Review: De Marco Empire by J Lou McCartney

It was the day of the preliminary hearing and the closed court room was for immediate and close friends only. The press was banned from the building and the surrounding vicinity, which spanned three miles in every direction, but they had helicopter coverage, so hopefully if anything significant happened they wouldn't miss it. The whole process was being carefully monitored by the Metropolitan Police force. This was going to be a high profile case, one that the public would be very interested in the eventual outcome. The de Marcos were very well respected and had brought a lot of business and employment to the area over the years. [From the Prologue]

De Marco Empire by J Lou McCartney
Vanguard Press, 2008
Fiction; 345 pgs

I first came across mention of De Marco Empire by J Lou McCartney at Yvonne’s blog, Socrates' Book Reviews. Romance is not my preferred genre, at least not by itself, but I was fascinated by the storyline: young woman falls in love with successful businessman with a sordid past. The mafia has always held a certain appeal for me—at least the mafia in the fictional world.

The novel opens with the beginning of a murder trial. Katie stands accused of killing her husband on their wedding night. She insists she did not do it. Her defense attorney and long time friend, Matt Carmichael believes her and is determined to prove her innocence. Taking us back in time to the night Katie and her husband met, the story unfolds.

For all intents and purposes, Antonio de Marco really does want to put his criminal past behind him. He has moved on to make a name for himself running numerous legitimate businesses. He and his brother left Italy shortly after the murder of their parents and young sister when attempts to seek vengeance against those they believed responsible failed. Gianni and Antonio have always lived on the edge. Gianni is less inclined to follow his brother’s lead in terms of sticking to the legal side of life, and while Antonio is trying, he still hasn’t completely given up his old habits.

When Katie Saunders walks into his life, he knows he must have her. She is a smart and beautiful young woman, innocent but definitely no push over. The only catch? She has a boyfriend and Antonio has a fiancée, the ever insufferable Sasha Breschnevsky. The two are destined to be together, however, and once the obstacles are dealt with, Antonio is determined to win Katie over. Katie hasn’t a clue what world she is about to enter. It is a world of nightclubs, drugs, sex and murder, where extortion and rival wars are the order of the day.

McCartney’s novel has a seductive quality to it that drew me in and held me captive. I could not wait to see what happened next. The story was compelling, but the writing nearly lost me. One of the many tasks I do in my day job is editing reports, and, while I may not be any good at editing my own writing, I have an eye for catching others’ mistakes. And this novel was full of them. Enough to pull me out of the story at times. Then there was the little issue of the narrative voice. While I enjoy reading books written in third person omniscient, I was not used to the sudden and constant shifting in character viewpoints with no break in the text or warning in the change of perspective. Fortunately, this only was a problem in the first few chapters and the shifts were better defined for the majority of the book. To put it into perspective though, I wasn't too keen on the writing of the Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer, and yet I still gobbled up each of her books. There was just something about them that had me craving more even in spite of my reservations about the writing. It was similar with De Marco Empire. Normally such issues would completely ruin a book for me; however, in this case, the story was enough to carry the book for me, and I read late into the night.

I liked Katie Saunders, but I did have trouble relating to her completely. Katie is a bit too perfect. She’s got it all: perfect body, naturally beautiful, thoughtful, intelligent, succeeds at everything she tries, and just about everyone loves and adores her. I think her only flaw is her choice in men, really.

It isn’t too surprising that Katie fell quickly under Antonio’s spell. Many women are drawn to the mysterious bad boy who has plenty of money and good looks, especially when he throws on the charm. Antonio was definitely charming, even if a little domineering and moody. I give him credit for not being so rigid in his more traditional beliefs. It was obvious he loved Katie and would do anything for her, even letting her be her own person.

The best characters in the novel, the ones I most enjoyed reading about, were the not so good ones and the downright evil ones. They had a lot of personality, not to mention were the most interesting. I loved hating them and couldn’t get enough of them.

J Lou McCartney’s novel was certainly suspenseful and kept me entertained even in spite of my reservations. De Marco Empire is the author's first novel, and if it’s anything to go by, the author shows a lot of potential.

You can find other book blogger opinions on the following blogs:
Bermudaonion's Weblog
Bookvisions
Cheryl's Book Nook
Deb's Book Reviews
The Girls on Books
Socrates Book Reviews

Challenge Commitment Fulfilled: ARC Challenge & New Authors Challenge

You can learn more about J Lou McCartney and her books on the author's website. Many thanks to the author for graciously offering me a copy of De Marco Empire for review.

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© 2009, Wendy Runyon of Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved.
If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Review: A Disobedient Girl by Ru Freeman & a Giveaway

"Earrings are not decorations. They are a statement of legitimacy, of dignity, of self-worth. Ask any woman, and she would tell you that she would pawn everything she has before she gave up her earrings. Even her wedding band. For what is a wedding band worth except to say that a man coveted your children and wanted to claim them for his own? A wedding band can come from any man, just like children. Earrings, a real pair of earrings, come only with love." [pg 121]


A Disobedient Girl by Ru Freeman
Atria Books, 2009 (ARE)
Fiction; 374 pgs


Sri Lanka is located in South East Asia, an island country just south of India. It is a beautiful country that has been mired in conflict for over 40 years. Cultural and religious differences are at the forefront of the civil unrest and terrorist acts by extremists. Ru Freeman's novel, A Disobedient Girl, is set during these tumultuous times. Biso is the mother of three young children. In the early morning hours, she prepares her children for travel. After years of abuse, she has finally decided to leave her husband. They travel by train to the north, hoping to take refuge with Biso's mother's sister. The long train ride allows Biso time to reflect on her life, about her affair with the love of her life, his death at her husband's hands and the continuing abuse she suffered. Her children are her life, especially her youngest, the product of her affair.

This is also Latha's story. Latha works as a servant for the Vithanages, a wealthy family in Colombo. She and the daughter of the house, Thara, become friends although Latha is never allowed to forget her lower status. Latha has never taken easily to her role as servant. She feels she deserves better in life and often lands in trouble for going after what she wants. Her choices in life are not always the wisest, and, while still a teen, she becomes pregnant by her friend and mistress' love interest.

Biso's story is told over the course of a few days in first person; while Latha's is in third person and spans many years. It is an interesting technique that the author balances well as she alternates between characters with each chapter. The stories of the two women are connected in such a way that makes the ending all the more bittersweet.

I was drawn to both stories equally. Both Latha and Biso are flawed characters and strong women. My heart instantly went out to Biso and her children. While I may not approve of extramarital affairs, I do understand on some level why and how they come about. It becomes more complicated when cultural issues are thrown into the mix. Biso had lost her own mother at a young age and was married to a man not of her choosing. That marriage quickly became a violent one. Biso longed for love and to feel wanted. She found that in Siri. All that ended when he died, and Biso had to begin making other choices.

It took longer for me to warm to Latha. Latha is a passionate character. As the novel opens, she is young and naive and often impulsive. She carries with her a sense of entitlement and does not seem to know her place. The treatment of child servants was appalling and a part of me cheered for Latha for knowing she deserved better even while knowing her life would have been easier had she played along like the good little servant girl. I have read several other reviews that berate the fact that that Latha does not evolve as a character over the course of the novel. She never does seem to fully take responsibility for her actions, always seeming to lay the blame at others' feet. At the same time, I think she did grow as a character in other ways, eventually coming into her own.

Ru Freeman captured the hearts of her characters and the country about which she wrote. Through her characters, readers get a feel for the political unrest, the caste and class struggles, and the inner turmoil and sacrifices of both Latha and Biso. It took me about 76 pages or so to really get into A Disobedient Girl and while I wanted to shake the characters at times for the decisions they made, I enjoyed it just the same.

Rating: (Good +)


Challenge Commitment Fulfilled: ARC Challenge, New Authors Challenge & 2009 Pub Challenge


Be sure and visit Ru Freeman's blog for more information about the book and to get to know the author. Visit TLC Tour stops for a list of Ru Freeman's tour stops!

Many thanks to the publisher and TLC Book Tours for the copy of this book and the opportunity to be a part of this book tour.

I also have a hardcover copy of Ru Freeman's A Disobedient Girl for one lucky commenter. The winner will be chosen in a random drawing and notified by e-mail. The deadline to enter is Tuesday, September 29th at 11:59 p.m. (PDT). Giveaway open worldwide. Make sure you include your e-mail address if it is not easily accessible on your blog so I contact you if win. Good luck!

**Stacy from Stacy's Books is the lucky winner of A Disobedient Girl. Congratulations, Stacy! Thank you to all who entered!**

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© 2009, Wendy Runyon of Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved.
If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Review: Shades of Grey by Clea Simon

The cat on the middle step was washing its face, carefully licking its left paw and then running it over each ear in turn.

"Mr. Grey?" It made no sense. The cat kept washing, straining sideways now to get its tongue into the thick grey ruff.

Dulcie closed her eyes. The heat, grief, and these damned pantyhose. She was losing it. When she dared to look again, the cat was gone. [pg 3-4]



Shades of Grey by Clea Simon
Severn House, 2009
Crime Fiction; 216 pgs


Having read and enjoyed author Clea Simon's Theda Krakow series, I looked forward to trying her new series featuring Dulcie Schwartz, a doctoral student specializing in gothic literature at Harvard University. Besides, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to meet a ghost cat, could I?

In order to help pay the bills, Dulcie has sublet her roommate's room in their apartment to another college student, a rather obnoxious man who likes the ladies. Dulcie isn't too fond of him, but she would never have wished him dead, which is exactly how she finds him one evening after a long day at work. He's been stabbed to death with her own knife. A cat that looks an awful lot like her former companion, Mr. Grey, tried to warn her not to enter the apartment, but Dulcie dismisses the voice in her head, and goes in anyway.

Besides finding herself a suspect in her roommate's murder, things aren't going so well at Dulcie's workplace either. Someone has been hacking into the computer system at the insurance company and suspicion seems to have fallen on Dulcie, whose temp position began not long before the trouble started. Dulcie cannot afford to lose her job, at least not before the school year starts and her grant kicks in.

As to that grant, she may lose that if she cannot come up with a thesis topic. She's drawing a blank and with the drama unfolding around her, is it any wonder? Could someone be trying to frame her for both crimes? Dulcie is not sure who to trust, even amongst her friends.

I took an instant liking to Dulcie. She lives and breathes gothic literature. And is it any wonder with a name like Dulcinea straight out of the gothic novel, Don Quixote? She is bookish and good-hearted. Some may find Dulcie’s penchant for day dreaming to be distracting, but I found it endearing (not to mention a little all to familiar). Dulcie was not the only character who won me over in Shades of Grey, and I look forward to discovering more about them in future books.

The author was very subtle in her handling of the supernatural element of the novel. While Mr. Grey is clearly a spirit, his few appearances in the novel are understated, and, as a result, come across as quite natural and believable. It suited the novel well.

There are several bookish references for the book lover within the pages of Shades of Grey. My favorite location in the novel was the Widener library. I would have loved to venture down into the lower floors of the library along with Dulcie, losing myself in the pages of an original copy of a gothic novel.

Shades of Grey was a pleasure to read. There’s plenty of mystery, a bit of thrill and even some romance. There was something about the tone--the atmosphere--that I found especially appealing. Perhaps a hint of that gothic flare coming out in Simon’s tale? It looks like I have a new series to add to my must read list.

Rating: (Very Good)

Challenge Commitment Fulfilled: ARC Challenge & 2009 Pub Challenge

You can learn more about Clea Simon and her books on the author's website and on her blog, Cats & Crime & Rock & Roll.

If you haven't already, be sure and check out Clea Simon's guest post: In Defense of Leisurely Lit.

Many thanks to Clea for sending me a copy of her book for review.

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© 2009, Wendy Runyon of Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved.
If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Review: Sometimes We're Always Real Same-Same by Mattox Roesch

"You Got Trouble?"

Go-boy says, "No, we're just waiting."

The guy looks up and down the slough for signs of something to wait for. I look with him. He glances around the open fields in front of his truck, then turns in his seat and looks back at the village. There is nothing happening anywhere. He asks, "For what?"

I am wondering the same thing. Go stares through the windshield, straight down the road and back into town, maybe running through a list of possible names to give me, maybe not. A kid on a bike rolls across the gravel where it curves between two homes. On the left side is a row of dogs who've appeared, sitting on top of their little plywood houses, ugly dogs, watching us.

Go turns back to the guy in his truck, says, "We're waiting to find out." [pgs 27-28]


Sometimes We're Always Real Same-Same by Mattox Roesch
Unbridled Books, 2009
Fiction; 336 pgs

Gangs are a reality, and, for Cesar, they are a way of life. His older brother is serving a life sentence for murdering two teenagers, and Cesar would have landed in the cell next to Wicho if their mother had not decided to move home to Alaska, taking 17 year old Cesar with her. Unalakleet couldn't be more different than Southern California. It is a small village where everyone knows just about everyone. There are no gangs and the crime rate is extremely low. Life seems to be much less complicated there.

Cesar's cousin, Go-boy, takes Cesar under his wing the minute Cesar stepped off the plane. Go-boy is confidant Cesar will stay in Alaska despite Cesar's determination that he will return to Los Angeles at the end of the summer. The novel is narrated by Cesar as he gets acclimated to his new life in Alaska. He takes an instant liking to Go-boy's stepsister, Kiana, and she to him. However, their relationship is a complicated one, neither being sure what they want from the other, if anything at all.

Although Sometimes We're Always Real Same-Same is about Cesar coming into his own as he struggles with guilt for his part in a heinous crime while at the same time adjusting to life in Alaska, Go-boy steals the show. His initial optimism and belief in people touches everyone he comes in contact with, including Cesar. As the novel unfolds, it becomes clear that Go-boy has many more layers than it may first appear. Cesar, who is so much in his own head and dealing with his own issues, does not see the trouble his cousin is in right away.

Go-boy has an optimism and innocence about him that drew me straight to him. He believed that the world was destined for good things and went out of his way to try and make his part of the world a better place in his own unique way. Go-boy stood for hope. He was a light in Cesar's dark world and it was no wonder Cesar took to Go-boy so easily. It is Go-boy that helps Cesar through some of his most difficult moments. Even so, Go-boy is struggling with his own problems. He has mood swings and often disappears for days on end without notice. His own family is in crisis, facing tragedy and uncertainty. My heart ached for Go-boy.

There were moments when I wish the author would have explored some of the minor characters more. I was especially curious about Cesar's relationship with his mother and would like to have delved more deeply into that. Being that the story is told from 17 year old Cesar's point of view and that his world view centers around himself and Go-boy, it may not have been a direction the author felt necessary to go.

I like Mattox Roesch's writing style and the way he weaves the past with the present. I felt like I truly was in Cesar's head, seeing the world through his eyes. He wasn't always an easy character to like. Overall, I enjoyed the time I spent reading Sometimes We're Always Real Same-Same. Although at the end I did not feel that Cesar made huge strides in resolving his issues, he certainly was headed in the right direction. Being that he's only 17 going on 18, that's really all a person can expect.

Rating: (Good +)

Challenge Commitment Fulfilled: ARC Challenge, New Authors Challenge & 2009 Pub Challenge

Be sure to check the author's website. Many thanks to Caitlin with Unbridled Books for the opportunity to read this novel and participate in the blog tour.

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© 2009, Wendy Runyon of Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved.
If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Review: The Glass Devil by Helene Tursten

Everything had seemed perfect. Maybe too perfect; he realized that now. He had been lulled into a sense of security, believing that it would never catch up with him. It really hadn't seemed like it would. Not until now. [first paragraph from the Prologue]

The Glass Devil by Helene Tursten
Translated by Katarina Tucker
Soho, 2007
Crime Fiction, 311 pgs


There has been a rise in popularity of Scandinavian crime fiction as more and more novels are being translated into English, and not without good reason. Helene Tursten's Inspector Irene Huss novels set a good example of a series that deserves praise and attention.

The Glass Devil is the fourth in the series featuring Detective Inspector Irene Huss. Set in Sweden, the novel opens with the murder of a family: a schoolteacher and his parents, a well-respected rector and his wife. Criminal Superintendent Sven Andersson had been asked by his cousin to check on the recently divorced teacher who was showing signs of depression. He takes along Detective Inspector Huss, expecting the worst. What they find is not the suicide they expected but rather a cold-blooded murder. To complicate matters, upon an attempt to notify the parents of the deceased, police discover the rector and his wife dead in their bed, both shot to death in a similar manner as their son. The only clues left at the crime scenes are upside-down pentagrams drawn in blood on the computer screens and an upturned cross on the wall of the rector's bedroom. Could the murders be related to the rector and his son’s research into local satanic cult activity, or something entirely different?

As law enforcement begins the arduous investigation into the murders, they seem to hit dead end after dead end. A sprinkling of clues along the way is all that propels the investigation forward. Inspector Huss travels to England in an effort to learn more from the last surviving family member, the rector's daughter, Rebecka. She is ill with depression, much like her mother had been, and unable to offer much in the way of help. Rebecka’s employer and doctor are very protective of her, creating yet one more obstacle the inspector must deal with.

Irene Huss is a strong female lead. An older woman, one of two female inspectors in her office, she is fit and more than capable. Tursten strikes a nice balance between the inspector's work and personal life. As the mother of twin daughters who recently turned 18 and a husband who has a demanding job if his own, she has much to juggle in her life. Tursten does a good job of showing the realities of such a struggle, including the compromises that sometimes must be made.

Personal and work lives are not the only things being juggled throughout the novel. Irene Huss and her colleagues have their hands full, often short-staffed and with other cases to investigate. The author captures the necessity of teamwork in the law enforcement world, whether it be staff from the same office working together or connecting with other authorities outside of the district or even abroad.

True to its title, The Glass Devil is not always what it seems. Tursten takes the novel in unexpected and sometimes very dark directions. The wrap-up of the crime seems to be a little too pat, but it is a satisfactory ending nonetheless. This is my first, but definitely not my last, Helene Tursten novel. Originally published on Curled Up With A Good Book at www.curledup.com. © Wendy Runyon, 2009

Rating: (Good +)

Challenge Commitment Fulfilled: ARC Challenge, New Authors Challenge, 1st in a Series Challenge

Review copy provided by Curled Up With a Good Book.

Review: The Promised World by Lisa Tucker

While millions of people watched her brother die, Lila sat in her quiet office at the university, working on a paper about Herman Melville’s later years. Someone else might have found it ironic that, on that very afternoon, she’d been thinking about Melville’s son, who shot himself. Lila herself didn’t make the connection until much later, and by then, she was so lost she could only see it as an obvious sign that she should have known, that she’d failed Billy when he needed her most. [first paragraph]


The Promised World by Lisa Tucker
Atria Books, 2009 (ARC)
Fiction; 319 pgs

From Amazon: On a March afternoon, while Lila Cole is working in her quiet office, her twin brother Billy points an unloaded rifle out of a hotel window, closing down a city block. "Suicide by police" was obviously Billy's intended result, but the aftermath of his death brings shock after shock for Lila when she discovers that her brilliant but troubled twin - the person she revered and was closer to than anyone in the world - was not only estranged from his wife, but also charged with endangering the life of his middle child and namesake, eight-year-old William.

As Lila struggles to figure out what was truth and what was fiction in her brother's complicated past, her job, her marriage, and even her sanity will be put at risk. And when the hidden meaning behind Billy's stories comes to light, she will have to act before Billy's children are destroyed by the same heartbreaking reality that shattered her protector and twin more than twenty years ago.

In today's climate, with the news full of stories men turning to mass murder and suicide, The Promised World seems an even more fitting book for the times. Unlike the men in the news stories, however, Billy Cole had no intention of killing anyone other than himself the day he aimed his unloaded rifle at an elementary school. His pain had become too much for him to bear. Lisa Tucker offers a firsthand look at a family in crisis and the impact suicide can have on such a family.

Billy had been everything to his twin sister, Lila. Billy was her hero and her mentor. He had been her support for many years, nurturing her and rescuing her from a past she has no memory of. Billy was the person who filled in the gaps of her memory and inspired her love for books. His death shattered not only her heart, but her world as well--everything she thought she knew and believed suddenly came into question. Lila's husband could only watch his wife unravel before him, unsure of what to do and how to help her. His wife was not quite the woman he thought she was. What seemed to be a perfect marriage, suddenly was falling apart.

Billy's death left his own family, his three children and estranged wife, confused and angry. His teenage daughter, Pearl, wants to understand her father and why he would do such a terrible thing. William, Billy’s 8 year old son, continues to hang on to the promises he made to his father, wanting to make him proud even after death. Ashley had loved Billy but also been afraid of him. He was the perfect father one minute but his mood swings and secretiveness proved more than the couple could bear.

I was intrigued when I first read the description of this novel and jumped at the opportunity to be a part of the book tour. The Promised World sounded liked something I would like. And it certainly was. I was especially mesmerized by the momentum the author built as the story went along. I was caught up in the downward spiral leading up to the climax, wondering where the author would take me next. How much worse could it get for this family as they struggled to come to terms with the past and move forward in their own lives?

I went back and forth in my opinions of the characters, sometimes liking them and sometimes wondering what the heck they were thinking. Each was flawed, dealing with a catastrophic event that would scar anyone in his or her shoes. Everyone dealt with Billy's death in different ways. Still, they all felt a similar pain and anger, and even the shame. My heart especially when out to the children.

There is quite a bit to this novel. The author took on the issue of child abuse, looking at it from varying angles: from false allegations to the lasting damage and impact of long time abuse. The novel also delved into the fragility of memory--how easily it can be manipulated or colored by perception and time or forgotten all together, repressed. Secrecy also plays a role in The Promised World. Billy and Lila kept their past well hidden. They lied to those they loved. When the truth came out, was it any wonder their loved ones felt betrayed?

Lila and Billy both shared a love for books. There are many book references that will attract fellow book lovers. Lila used books as an escape from her past, and most especially to keep her memories from overwhelming her, however unconscious that may be.

“I’m a great believer in stories. I used to tell Billy I was afraid we loved stories more than real life, but he said, ‘What is life but a story we don’t know the meaning of yet?’” [pg 10]

It was not until a few hours after I had finished reading The Promised World that I could fully appreciate all the author had set out to accomplish. While on the surface, the novel is entertaining and a page turner, in its depths it is a story about lost innocence, betrayal and the complexity of relationships.

Rating: (Very Good)


Challenge Commitment Fulfilled: ARC Challenge, New Authors Challenge & 2009 Pub Challenge


To learn more about the author, Lisa Tucker, and her books, visit her website. Visit TLC Book Tours for a list of Lisa Tucker's tour stops!

Many thanks to the publisher and TLC Book Tours for the copy of this book and the opportunity to be a part of this book tour.

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© 2009, Wendy Runyon of Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved.
If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Review: Wife of the Gods by Kwei Quartey (& a Giveaway)

"So cold," he murmured. "Once she was warm and breathing."

It was what he could never quite get his mind around--not just how complex life was, but why it was so easy for life to leave a person once so complex. [excerpt from Wife of the Gods]


Wife of the Gods by Kwei Quartey
Random House, 2009 (ARE)
Crime Fiction; 319 pgs


When I first saw mention of Kwei Quartey’s Wife of the Gods, I knew I had to read it. I can’t resist a crime fiction novel, especially one set in a country other than my own. I get to learn about another country and culture while at the same time settling in with the comfort of the familiar format of a mystery.

Kwei Quartey’s protagonist, Darko Dawson is the kind of detective I would want investigating my murder. He has a dogged determination and a strong sense of right and wrong—at least where others are concerned. Righteous is the word that comes to mind, but not in an arrogant or overbearing way. Darko is anything but perfect though. He has a weakness for marijuana and a bit of a temper which lands him in plenty of trouble.

The novel is set in the beautiful country of Ghana. Quartey paints a portrait of a complex society, one that straddles the old traditions and the new. In a community where witchcraft is feared and superstitions are commonplace, science is still trying to find a foothold. Detective Inspector Darko Dawson is a modern man. He trusts in science and facts to solve his cases. When he is assigned to Ketanu, a small out of the way community, to aid in the murder investigation of a volunteer AIDS worker, he comes face to face with the very superstitions he disdains.

The Chief Inspector of Ketanu has his eyes set on a particular young man as his suspect, but Darko isn’t convinced. He sets out on his own investigation, determined to solve the murder.

Darko’s mother disappeared after a visit to Ketanu over twenty years before while visiting her sister who lived in the town. Perhaps he can look into her disappearance while there as well. It’s a long shot after so many years, but he at least wants to give it a try.

I have seen this book compared to Alexander McCall Smith’s The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, and I have to disagree. Smith’s series is not much of a crime fiction series at all—and if you go into those books expecting a mystery, you may well be disappointed. With Quartey’s book, on the other hand, a mystery is exactly what you get. It’s also a bit darker in some respects, than Smith’s series.

There was so much I liked about this series, including the various interesting characters, the flashbacks into Darko’s past and the unfolding of the mystery of his mother’s disappearance as well as the murder of that young volunteer. There was a moment early on in the book when I thought one story thread might get lost in other, but fortunately that did not happen.

Another aspect that especially caught my attention was the health department and volunteers like the murdered woman who struggle to reach a population of people who are very entrenched in the old ways. The misinformation and superstitions surrounding AIDS is frightening. Add to that the issue of fetish priests and the practice of families marrying off their teenage daughters to them in hopes of turning around bad luck or getting rid of a curse. Quartey offers both sides of these issues to some extent, but it is clear which side Darko falls on.

Wife of the Gods is a promising start for a new series. There are many characters, including Armah, Darko’s inspiration and mentor, that I hope I can visit again. And I do hope I haven’t seen the last of Elizabeth Mensah. She’s an admirable and strong woman. Kwei Quartey is definitely an author to watch.


Challenge Commitment Fulfilled: ARC Challenge, What's in a Name Challenge, New Authors Challenge & 2009 Pub Challenge

To learn more about the author, Kwei Quartey, and his book, visit his website. Visit TLC Book Tours for a list of Kwei Quartey's tour stops!


Interested in winning a copy of Wife of the Gods by Kwei Quartey? Here's how you can enter the drawing for a chance to win:

• Leave a comment along with an e-mail address where I can contact you if it is not easily accessible on your blog or profile page.
• To be entered, you MUST answer the following question: Who is one of your favorite fictional detectives?
  
• Open to anyone with a valid mailing address.
  
• Deadline to enter is August 22nd at 11:59 p.m. The winner will be notified by e-mail.

Many thanks to author Kwei Quartey and TLC Book Tours for the opportunity to be a part of this book tour. Review copy provided by LibraryThing's Early Reviewer Program (via the publisher) and giveaway copy provided by the publisher.

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© 2009, Wendy Runyon of Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved.

Review: The Missing Ink by Karen E. Olson & A Word From the Author

In the parking garage elevator, I was sandwiched between an elderly woman in a bright pink velour sweatsuit--didn't anyone tell her it was a hundred degrees outside?--and a guy who looked like he was on his way to a Young Republicans meeting, complete with a three-piece navy pin-striped suit, red tie, and buzz cut. And they looked at me like I was the freak.

When I stepped out of the elevator, though, I started to freak. Quietly. To myself. Because the big, bald, tattooed guy in the sleeveless jean jacket was leaning against a concrete pillar about halfway to my car. [excerpt from The Missing Ink]


The Missing Ink by Karen E. Olson
Obsidian Mystery, 2009 (ARC)
Crime Fiction (M); 299 pgs

My father used to tell me that when I turned 21, he would take me Reno, Nevada. It’s a good thing I did not hold my breath because it never happened. I still haven’t made it to Reno. I did, however, make it to Las Vegas. Only not with my father. My first visit there was with my boyfriend-now-husband for a friend’s wedding. We stayed at Circus Circus and had fun playing the arcade-like games (Skee-Ball was a favorite) and watching the free circus acts performed nonstop throughout our stay there.

Even though we have never been interested in gambling or spending hours on end in the smoke-filled casinos, there is something about Las Vegas that attracts us there still today. One of the best views of the city is driving up to it, seeing it rise out of the desert like a huge funky oasis. During our last trip to Las Vegas, my husband and I did not stick to the strip, the most famous part of the city. Rather we explored the back streets and other parts of town that are lesser known. It’s just a regular city like any other, really.

As much as I enjoy reading about places I have never been and may never go, I also take pleasure in reading books set in places I have traveled to. While I would have read The Missing Ink for the very reason that it is written by one of my favorite crime fiction authors, the Las Vegas setting made it all the more appealing.

Brett Kavanaugh is a tattoo artist who owns her own tattoo parlor, The Painted Lady, a classy joint that is nestled in an upscale shopping center. I instantly took a liking to Brett. She’s smart and witty, not to mention a bit gutsy. She lives with her brother who is a homicide detective with the Las Vegas Police Department. Having both just come out of bad relationships, it is the perfect arrangement. I enjoyed the easy banter between the sister and brother. They make a good team, even if the detective doesn’t quite see them as such. It’s obvious they love and respect each other.

In the first installment of this tattoo shop mystery series, Brett becomes especially curious when a police officer asks her if she has seen a missing woman. Brett, valuing her client's confidentiality, at first does not admit to anything. The woman had, in fact, been to her shop and requested a devotional tattoo, only the name she wanted on the tattoo would turn out not to be that of her fiancé’s. Brett decides to ask a few questions to see if she can find out more about this mysterious woman. To complicate matters further, she ends up in the middle of a murder investigation when a woman’s body is discovered and the police’s prime suspect takes her into his confidence.

Author Karen E. Olson’s latest novel is just a tad less gritty than her last series, but by no means less entertaining. She has created a cast of colorful characters who make the perfect sidekicks: from the gentle but tough looking Joel who can’t resist a doughnut to the small Bitsy who shouldn’t be underestimated despite her size. Then there is the elderly Sylvia, a pioneering female tattoo artist, who I hope to see more of in future books. And I dare not leave out the charming and ever sexy Simon Chase, to whom there is more there than meets the eye.

Just as interesting as the characters is the mystery itself. It was like being in a car chase, with quick turns and heart racing moments. This is one of those books where the obvious may be just that—obvious—while at other times, nothing is quite what it seems. What makes it works all the better is that, as the reader, I was never quite sure which was which.

The Missing Ink is a great start in a new series by author Karen E. Olson. It is fun and fast paced. It makes for great summer reading. And if ever I decided to get a tattoo in Las Vegas, I would head straight for The Painted Lady.

Rating: (Very Good +)


Challenge Commitment Fulfilled: ARC Challenge, 2009 Pub Challenge, 1st in a Series Challenge, & Cozy Mystery Challenge

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It is my pleasure to welcome author Karen E. Olson back to Musings of a Bookish Kitty. The first time I read one of her books, it was love at first read, and I have yet to be disappointed. Karen was able to drop in for a visit to talk about her new character, Brett Kavanaugh. The first book in her new series, The Missing Ink, goes on sale in bookstores today.

* * *

When you spend more than five years with one character in your head, it’s not easy to toss her aside and start with someone completely different. But that’s what I had to do when I started writing THE MISSING INK, the first in my tattoo shop mysteries.

I first heard Annie Seymour’s voice way back in 2000. It came through loud and clear, all those f-words and the sarcasm and the vulnerability. I knew Annie, she was a little bit like me, a lot like a lot of people I’d worked with. She was easy.

But Brett Kavanaugh, the tattooist in my new series, is completely different. I wanted to create another strong female character, but she couldn’t be anything like Annie or I knew the reviewers and readers would skewer me. I couldn’t just rehash the same character. She had to be her own person, have her own world. Have her own voice.

So I decided she wouldn’t cuss.

At first it was sort of an experiment. Would readers stop sending me those emails complaining that even though they like my books they’re offended by Annie’s language if I gave them an option, a series that didn’t have those so-called offensive words? It was worth a shot.

But as I began writing, as I began developing Brett’s voice, I realized that it wasn’t a conscious effort to keep her from cussing. She just doesn’t. It’s not part of her character. She’s a tattooist, sure, but she’s a nice Catholic girl from Jersey who went to religious school. Her tone is lighter, more fun than Annie’s, although she also has a sense of humor, but in a little bit of a different way.

I’ll miss writing Annie, but I’ve had so much fun writing and getting to know Brett.

How do you feel about cussing in a book? Are you someone who’d be offended, or do you just accept it when it’s the character’s voice?

* * *

Karen E. Olson is the author of the crime fiction series featuring crime reporter Annie Seymour and a new series featuring Brett Kavanaugh, tattoo shop owner and artist.

Karen E. Olson has teamed up with several authors at the First Offenders blog, maintains her own blog at Amazon as well as her own website.

Thanks goes to the author for taking time out of her busy schedule to prepare a guest post for us here today and for sending me a copy of her book, The Missing Ink, for review.

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© Wendy Runyon of Musings of a Bookish Kitty 2009.

Review: Chemical Cowboys by Lisa Sweetingham

Agents and the men they chase often have the same start in life. They are creative problem solvers, natural leaders with street smarts and an ability to anticipate their adversary’s next ten movies. Somewhere along the way, guys like Gagne choose the law, and guys like Solomon choose crime. Gagne understood that there is a fine line between them, and he believed deeply in sticking to his side of the line. [pg 8]

Chemical Cowboys: The DEA’s Secret Mission to Hunt Down a Notorious Ecstasy Kingpin by Lisa Sweetingham
Ballantine Books, 2009
Nonfiction; 464 pgs

Journalist and author Lisa Sweetingham takes the readers behind the scenes of the investigations into major Ecstasy rings, while following the career of Special Agent Robert Gagne. For many years, Ecstasy was not taken all that seriously. It was "kiddie dope". Special Agent Gagne with the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) would play an integral part in changing that. Gagne was passionate about his work and wanted to make a difference. While most DEA investigations were focused on cocaine and heroin in and around 1995, he was hoping to go in a different direction, go after a lesser known drug. A call from an informant who was given a sample of Ecstasy by two Israeli Nationals was just the break he needed.

Ecstasy got its start as a psychotropic drug and was quite popular for couple's counseling during the 1970's and 1980's. It’s official name is 3, 4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). It earned the name "Empathy" because of the effects it had on users, including a feeling of euphoria and heightened sensitivity; however later came to be called Ecstasy. In 1988, MDMA became a Schedule 1 Drug, determined to be highly addictive and with no real medical purpose. The effects of the drug diminish with each use, causing users to use more and more to gain the same results as when they begin taking it. The side effects and consequences of using Ecstasy, especially long-term use, can lead to permanent brain damage and even death.

While very popular among young adults, Ecstasy knows no boundaries. It holds appeal to a wide spectrum of people from all walks of life. As the drug grew in popularity and there was a greater demand for the drug, it became all the more challenging for law enforcement officials to crack down on it. When one person in the Ecstasy chain was arrested or disappeared, another was immediately ready to take that person’s place. The Ecstasy business was ever changing and growing rapidly.

The book opens with a stakeout in Los Angeles in November of 1999. DEA agents followed their suspects and watched as they abandoned a SUV. Suspecting it was a trick set up by the suspects to make sure they were not being watched, the agents laid in wait, keeping an eye on the vehicle for days. Eventually, they made a move on the vehicle and discovered the body of a man linked to the Israeli mafia. There were obvious signs of his having been murdered. Suddenly, the stakes had risen and it was not just about the drugs anymore.

In 1973, President Nixon's declaration of war on drugs led to the establishment of the DEA. In the early years, the DEA went after anyone they could get, and that often meant the little guys. Today, they go for those higher up in the hierarchy. They want to suppliers and the cartel heads. It was no different for Special Agent Gagne and his partner, Special Agent Germanoski. The agents began by investigating two low level Israeli drug dealers in New York in 1995 and worked their way up from there. They infiltrated the nightclub scene, posing as gay ravers, in an effort to bring down Peter Gatien, a well-connected nightclub owner who they believed was a major player behind the scenes of the Ecstasy trade. Unfortunately, the jury found him not guilty despite the damaging evidence against him. Special Agent Gagne was not so willing to let it go, and, as a result, suffered a blow when he is assigned a desk job, his maverick style finally catching up with him. However, that did not stop him from doing what he could to stay involved with the Ecstasy scene.

In 1995, when Gagne and Germanoski began their investigation into Ecstasy sales, the drug was barely a blip on the map. As time went on and the demand for the drug grew, other agencies across the globe began to take notice. The problem was so widespread that it did not take long before law enforcement agencies around the world joined forces to tackle the growing problem. The effort was lead by Gadi Eshed with the Israeli National Police. Once the various law enforcement agencies came together, their jobs suddenly became a lot easier. The tangled web of the Ecstasy underworld, at least that under investigation, was beginning to be unraveled.

The drug was being imported into the United States from Holland. Israeli Nationals played a large part in the organization and distribution of Ecstasy during the 1980’s, 1990’s and early 2000’s. It was even tempting enough for the Israeli mafia to take up. The three countries, working with other countries across Europe, were able to put a major dent in the Ecstasy trade.

While Special Agent Gagne plays a large part in Lisa Sweetingham's book, he is not the only major player, nor even the most important. The bringing down of a major Ecstasy kingpin, Oded Tuito, and many others tied to the industry was the result of the hard work of many. While jurisdictional issues occasionally came into play, for the most part the various law enforcement agencies involved worked together for their common cause. They relied heavily on confidential sources, such as informants. In fact, many of their leads come from those on the inside.

It will come as no surprise that I am a fan of crime fiction, especially mysteries. I am fascinated by the investigative process, the discovery of clues that lead to another and another and how it all comes together in the end. True life investigations are even more fascinating in many ways. You may not be able to get into the characters' heads quite the way you can in fiction (which is one of the aspects I especially find appealing in reading fiction), but you can get a glimpse at how crimes are really solved and of our legal system at work.

I have a new found respect for the hard work and dedication of those investigating drug crime rings and just what they are up against. They have an immense amount of patience, that's for sure, and their job requires meticulous attention to details. I am glad to have people like Special Agent Gagne and Commander Gadi Eshed on the job. They both take their jobs very seriously and it shows in their work product—and in their personal lives.

There are a lot of players mentioned in this book, both criminals and authorities. Usually I do not have trouble keeping several characters straight while reading, but in this case, it proved to be a bit of a challenge. Fortunately, Sweetingham did try and help, reminding the reader of the link between one person and another without being repetitive; however, I would not have minded having an organizational chart to help me keep it all straight. Especially one or two involving the various criminal groups.

I never know quite how to review a nonfiction book. While the events covered in the pages of Chemical Cowboys are factual and a matter of record, I do not want to spoil the book just the same. I will not go so far as to say the book reads like fiction, but I will say that it flows smoothly and the author has done a good job in presenting the information she has gathered. Is the book suspenseful? Yes. Informative? Absolutely. Did I enjoy it? Very much. Chemical Cowboys was without a dull moment. Sweetingham kept me interested from the very first page through to the last.

With both the law enforcement officers, the criminals and those who fall somewhere in between, the author presented them as the human beings they are, with their strengths and vulnerabilities. At times she talked about their families and their hopes and dreams, along with their failures. The people described in the book are more than just names on a page. Lisa Sweetingham saw to that.

While the efforts of the DEA and their allies had a major impact on the Ecstasy trade, the distribution and abuse of the drug continues still today. There are new criminals in place to do the dirty work, and law enforcement agencies all over the world continue to do what they can to make our streets safer.

Rating: (Very Good)


Challenge Commitment Fulfilled: ARC Challenge, New Authors Challenge, 2009 Pub Challenge, Chunkster Challenge, & Nonfiction Challenge


Be sure and check out the author's website. If you would like to follow Lisa Sweetingham's book tour in progress, visit the Pump Up Your Book Promotion Virtual Book Tours blog.

Thank you to Dorothy of Pump Up Your Book Promotion and the author, Lisa Sweetingham, for the opportunity to participate in this book tour.

Review: Sweeping Up Glass by Carolyn Wall

There's nobody on this strip of mountain now but me and Ida, and my grandson, Will'm. While I love the boy more than life, Ida's a hold in another sock. She lives in the tar paper shack in back of our place, and in spite of this being the coldest winter recorded in Kentucky, she's standing out there now, wrapped in a blanket, quoting scripture and swearing like a lumberjack. Her white hair's ratted up like a wild woman's.

I'm Ida's child. That makes her my ma'am, and my pap was Tate Harker. I wish were here instead of buried by the outhouse. [pg 1]

Sweeping Up Glass by Carolyn Wall
Delta, 2008 (ARC)
Fiction; 319 pgs

I was not in the mood for Sweeping Up Glass when I began reading it. I had made a commitment though to read and review it. I am sure it sounded good to me when I checked the box at the BookBrowse website to be entered for a chance to review it, but once it arrived in the mail, I wondered what in the world I had been thinking. My extra-fabulous reading streak would surely be ruined now. Maybe that would be a good thing though, I told myself. People are beginning to think I not only like, but actually love just about everything I read.

Sweeping Up Glass is Carolyn Wall’s first novel. And let me just say now that it definitely did not ruin my love ‘em all reading streak. I loved it. Can I say that again, please? I loved it. So much for not being in the mood for it. Well, there you have it. End of review.

Okay, so not really. Despite my initial doubts, it was clear from the very first page that I was going to like this novel. Olivia Harker Cross has lived a lifetime in her nearly 42 years of life. It was not all bad at first. Although they were poor, which was true of most of the folk living in their Kentucky town, Olivia and her father ran the grocery store, living in the back. Olivia adored her father. He ran a little side business, mending and caring for injured animals. He did what he could for Olivia, making sure she did not do without. Olivia’s mother, Ida, during those early years was locked away in an asylum, having never been quite the same after giving birth to her daughter.

Olivia spent her days going to school and helping her father with the store, sometimes even helping him with the animals. Her best friend, Love Alice, a black girl just a few years older than herself, was married to Junk Hanley, a strong and decent man who often did work around the store for Olivia and her father. Junk’s family had taken Olivia in more than once, Junk’s mother being the mother Olivia never really had. This was during a time when the line between black and white was well drawn. Segregation was the norm: they shopped at the grocery store on different days from one another, attended different schools and churches, and the blacks had to enter through the back door rather than the front at the local restaurant. Color made no difference to Olivia, however. She knew who her friends were, and she loved them dearly.

When word came from the asylum that her mother was ready to come home, Olivia was devastated. Her mother had never taken kindly to her and Olivia knew it would not turn out well. She was right. Her mother treated her poorly, cruelly even. When Olivia got word of her father’s death, she blamed herself and her mother would not let her forget the part she played in it.

As time went on, Olivia found love and lost it, became a mother early on and struggled with raising a daughter. She did not hesitate to take in her grandson Will’m, when her daughter, Pauline left him on her doorstep. It was to that end that Olivia finds herself caring for her elderly mother, who has grown no nicer with age, and her young grandson, the only real joy in her life.

Will’m is so much like his great-grandfather, big heart and all. When the wolves on the family’s mountain are suddenly targeted by cold-blooded hunters, he begs his grandmother to try and save a litter of young pups. Olivia is angered that someone is trespassing on her land and killing off the wolves. She is determined to get to the bottom of it. What she finds is a town full of dark secrets, cover-ups and lies. And the closer she comes to the truth, the more danger she and Will’m are in.

Olivia Harker Cross’s life has made her tough and somewhat bitter. She has a softer side, which is most evident when she is around her grandson, Will’m. She is such a strong woman, so resilient, and yet still so full of doubt. Even though I may not have agreed with every choice she made, I never lost respect for her. She believes in standing up for what is right and is not afraid to speak her mind.

Olivia’s mother, Ida, is such an interesting character. She too has had a difficult life. She is much kinder to the men in her life (other than her husband) than she is to the women. She’s long been plagued with mental illness, but it is never clear what exactly that may be. One of the heart-wrenching moments in the book is when Olivia visits the state hospital her mother had spent much of Olivia's early childhood in. Even though Ida was terrible to Olivia, it was hard not to feel for her, having had to live in a place like that. For all intents and purposes, Ida seems to be a woman unhappy with her lot in life and so she takes it out on those closest to her. The relationship between Olivia and Ida is a complicated one.

Olivia has long harbored a hate in her heart for a mother she does not understand. All her life, even now, Olivia has wanted her mother to show some sign that she loves her. Her mother never has. The scars her mother has left on her run deep. They impact her relationship with her own daughter, who could not wait to escape. Olivia’s heart has been broken too many times, and love does not come easily for her. She guards her heart as those who love her know all too well.

Carolyn Wall’s novel begins in the future and quickly steps back into the past where the reader learns about Olivia’s childhood, setting the stage for the events to come. What begins as a quiet novel picks up intensity in the second half, particularly in the final 100 pages or so, as everything comes to a head (several soft expletives escaped me mouth, causing my husband to wonder if I was crazy). It almost seemed like two different novels in a way: the first half being more of a life story and the second being the suspense-filled mystery. And while I could fault another novel for this, I actually thought it worked quite well. The transition happened gradually and the story threads were interwoven from beginning to end.

The novel is set in the late 1930’s, at least in terms of the “current” story thread. The time period plays an especially important role in the novel. Life was hard all over the United States at that time and in the decades preceding it, people struggling to make ends meet. In Pope County Kentucky, where the novel is set, it was no different. Carolyn Wall captured the desperation of the times as well as the adaptability of the people. People bartered with food and services when they could not pay. Segregation was commonplace and racism ran rampant.

There is so much I want to say about this book and I haven't even come close to capturing all that I loved about it, but I’ve already said more than I probably should. This is one of those books that you have to read for yourself. Told in the voice of Olivia, the narrative is uncomplicated, her wry humor coming out now and then. The pages are filled with characters well worth getting to know, and Olivia’s story is one that will surely touch the reader’s heart. The secrets uncovered are chilling and the resolution is satisfying. The novel is as complex as Olivia Harker. Sweeping Up Glass is a love story, a mystery, and historical novel that touches on social issues that still reverberate today.

To think I had doubts about reading this book. That will show me, won’t it?

Rating: (Outstanding)


Challenge Commitment Fulfilled: ARC Challenge & New Authors Challenge