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.

---

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

---

© 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: Haunting Bombay by Shilpa Agarwal

And the girl once again remembered the feel of warm skin, the sweet breath of laughter. And the loss was so deep, so intense that she felt a deep hatred boil inside her chest for those who had cast her out that morning, severing her from the only place she regarded as home.

As the first drops of the elixir touched her tongue, her desire was not love.

But revenge. [pg 7]

Haunting Bombay by Shilpa Agarwal

Soho, 2009
Fiction; 359 pgs


Ghosts are like secrets. You may not always be able to see them, but they linger, always present, always influencing those around them. Shilpa Agarwal's novel, Haunting Bombay, tells the story of the Mittal family, three generations living under the same roof. Secrets cannot be hidden forever. And the dark family secret in the Mittal household would soon be let loose by the unbolting of a door by an innocent girl.

Pinky is thirteen years old. The year is 1960. She never knew her mother, a refugee who died during the Partition. Pinky was taken in by her loving grandmother, Maji. The two live with Maji’s only son, his wife and their three sons. Pinky has never understood why the door to the children’s bathing area is bolted every night. One night, in the heat of despair, Pinky dares to unlock the door and it unleashes the ghost of a baby once drowned, who is now set on vengeance.

A family, that by all appearances on the outside is healthy and happy, suddenly begins to disintegrate, proving just how fragile their bonds truly were. Pinky’s uncle for years has turned to alcohol to soothe his suffering. His wife longs for the upper hand, always wanting to be the best among her friends and family, and will do just about anything to get her way. Seventeen-year-old Nimish moons for the neighbor girl while Pinky pines for him. Then there are the twins, one with a sweet tooth and the other a bit of a trouble maker. The four servants in the house have their own stories: two sisters having fled famine and worse in their childhood; the driver from the slums; and the cook, a man of honor who is devoted to his wife. Maji seems to be the one person who is holding the family together, but as her control slips, and as the family’s secrets begin to surface, they risk losing everything. Pinky is at the core of it all, and she is determined to uncover the truth in order to save her family.

Shilpa Agarwal reaches into her own family history to help shape her fictional tale, offering the reader a glimpse into a family’s darkest and also strongest moments. It was easy to get lost in the story and feel like a part of the family. I was especially drawn to Pinky, so innocent and yet courageous. She may not have known her place in the household, but she certainly knows her own mind. I was also partial to Nimish, always lost in his books. He may not have been the strongest character, but he loved deeply.

The heat before the monsoons and then the coming of the harsh rain mirrored the events taking place in the novel: a seemingly peaceful existence suddenly uprooted by the storms. The author brings Bombay to life, offering a taste of Indian culture as she takes the reader into an upper class Indian family as well as deep into the city’s underbelly, where crime runs rampant. The reader gets a sense of the injustices that existed during that time period, including the corruption and prejudices.

The magical aspects of the story are interwoven into the family’s tragedy seamlessly. In the author’s guest post here at Musings of a Bookish Kitty, Shilpa Agarwal mentions that the spirits are “a metaphor for those who have been silenced.” In Haunting Bombay, the ghosts have no voice and are often invisible; however, they can only be ignored for so long. The ghosts, like the Mittal family’s secrets, will come out and be heard or they will destroy all those who suppress them.

Haunting Bombay lives up to its title. It is a haunting tale full of mystery, forbidden love, dark secrets, and mysticism. Shilpa Agarwal’s writing is beautiful, her story intense. I fell in love with this novel on the very first page and that feeling never wavered. If anything, it grew with each turn of the page. There was so much I liked about this novel; so much I haven’t said. Do you have a day or two? Haunting Bombay would make a great book club selection.

Rating: (Very Good +)

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


You can learn more about Shilpa Agarwal and her book Haunting Bombay on her website. Be sure and check the TLC Tour stops for a list of Shilpa Agarwal'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.

---

© 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.

---

© 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: In the Woods by Tana French

What I warn you to remember is that I am a detective. Our relationship with truth is fundamental but cracked, refracting confusingly like fragmented glass. It is the core of our careers, the endgame of every move we make, and we pursue it with strategies painstakingly constructed of lies and concealment and every variation on deception. [pg 3]

In the Woods by Tana French
Penguin Books, 2007
Crime Fiction, 429 pgs


I am not sure where to begin with this review. In the Woods is not a mystery that had me rushing to turn the pages. Rather, I wanted to take it slow and savor every word. Tana French is a beautiful writer who appears to take great care with each word she writes.

The novel is dark and the subject matter heavy. A young girl is found murdered at an archeological site in Knocknaree, Ireland, and detectives Rob Ryan and Cassie Maddox are assigned to investigate. Detective Ryan knows he should not be on the case. At the age of 12, he had been the only one found after the disappearance of him and his two best friends in the very woods where Katy’s body was discovered. His shoes were filled with blood, and, to this day, he has no memory of what happened that fateful day. His past has haunted him off and on all his life, and suddenly, it is placed front and center. He wants to remember. And he and Detective Maddox, one of the few who knows about his past, are determined to discover whether a link between the twenty year old disappearances has anything to do with the recent murder.

Tana French’s gift lies not just in crafting an utterly intriguing story, but also in creating characters that are complicated and very much three dimensional, from the big players in the novel to the minutest of characters. The author did an amazing job of capturing the stress and tension an ongoing and high profile investigation like Katy’s murder brings with it. It weighed heavily on everyone involved, including the protagonist and his partner. The longer the investigation went on, the more dead ends they encountered, and even the closer they came to the truth, the more strain it put on them.

Ryan and Maddox had an extremely close relationship. The two were like siblings in many ways. They knew each other inside and out. They both carried their own baggage, and while they shared much about themselves, including some of their darkest secrets, they still held a few things back. This bond between them made them even better at their job in many ways, or so it seemed in the beginning.

Part of the reason I decided to read this book when I did was as part of an online book discussion. I got to it a little late, but one of the bonuses of online groups is that the questions and discussion live on after everyone else has set the book aside for something else. I thought about incorporating some of the questions and answers into my review, but that really wouldn’t work. Too many spoilers. I will say though that this book makes for good discussion fodder!

The ending seems to be the most controversial part of the book. Many people were left disappointed for reasons I’ll refrain from giving here. I actually quite liked the ending. I wish I could say more because there’s a lot I liked about it, but, well, you know how it goes. A little something called spoilers.

This is one of my shorter reviews for a book that deserves more. I can see why so many people have recommended this book, and you can bet I’m adding my voice to that chorus.

Rating: (Very Good +)

You can learn more about Tana French and her books on the author's website.

---

© 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!**

---

© 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: Eleanor Rushing by Patty Friedmann

As book blog readers, we have come to accept that discovering new authors and books are givens. We come across a review that catches our eye, and we can't wait to add that book to our wish lists or TBR piles. Those of you who know me, know I have more than just a TBR pile. Rather, I have a TBR room. My wish list is quite long too--mostly filled with books recommended by my fellow book bloggers.

In preparation for today's Book Blogger Appreciation Week topic, which is to highlight a book I first discovered on a blog and the blogger who introduced me to that book, I pored over several of my options, finally settling on one in particular.

If you haven't noticed already, book bloggers are a generous bunch. Just take a look at the number of BBAW giveaways, many at the expense of the individual bloggers themselves. Occasionally you may come across a blogger who offers a reader a book out of the blue. You read a review, comment that you are interested in reading that book and suddenly it's in the mail to you. I have been lucky to be on the receiving end of a handful of books like this over the past three years from various bloggers. Florinda from The 3 R's: Reading, 'Riting, and Randomness is one such blogger. It isn't something every blogger is able to do, especially not often, and so when a blogger does, it makes it extra special.

I had the opportunity to meet Florinda this past spring and she is just as wonderful in person as she is on her blog. She's intelligent and witty, not to mention a great writer. She touches on a variety of subjects on her blog, books included. I have found a kindred spirit in Florinda and am glad to call her my friend.

I think it is impossible to change the world unless you are truly evil and so mad for control you never sleep. [First Sentence]


Eleanor Rushing by Patty Friedmann
Counterpoint, 2000
Fiction; 275 pgs

I had never heard of Patty Friedmann or her novel Eleanor Rushing before reading Florinda's review of the book, but she certainly piqued my interest. Florinda didn't exactly love the book, but her description of the main character as an unreliable narrator who is both frustrating and fascinating, made me curious. I said as much in my comment to her review, never expecting her to offer me her copy of the book, which I accepted (thanks, Florinda!).

Eleanor Rushing is a novel about a woman who sets her sights on a married pastor after meeting him in a council meeting. She is sure he loves her and goes to great lengths to learn about him and to draw him closer, including staging a car accident right outside his home, following him to Nashville, and insinuating herself into his life in just about any way she can think of.

Eleanor has a troubled past. Her parents died in an accident when she was ten, and she is haunted by memories of being molested as a child. Nearly thirty years old, Eleanor is wealthy and lives with her grandfather and housekeeper in New Orleans. She has never worked a day in her life.

Friedmann's novel is related in first person from Eleanor's perspective. From the first paragraph of the novel it is clear that her impressions of what is going on around her--or what has happened in the past--is not to be completely trusted. Rather, it is more in the other characters throughout the novel that the reader gets a more accurate picture of what is really going on. Eleanor is every bit the unreliable narrator. It makes the story all the more intriguing.

As I read Eleanor Rushing, I could not help but think of The Raw Shark Texts by Steven Hall which I read in June of last year. Like Eleanor, Eric Sanderson appears to be suffering from some sort of psychosis. The difference between the two books, however, is significant. In Hall's novel, the reader is left guessing. Is what is happening to Eric real or is it mental illness? I instantly connected with Eric; he was easy to relate to and sympathetic. He was likable.

Eleanor is not so easy to like. In fact, I cannot really say I ever grew to like her at all. I felt sorry for her, if anything. Yet even that was hard at times. She is extremely self-absorbed, not to mention does not believe she can do any wrong. It does not take long for the reader to realize Eleanor has mental health issues, that she is perhaps even delusional. Whereas I felt like I was a part of Eric's story, I felt more like an observer in Eleanor's. I looked on with horror at her gall and amazement at her tenacity. Eleanor has a distinct voice, a bit of wry humor with an underlying sadness.

Eleanor Rushing makes for a fascinating character study, perhaps more so because of my background in psychology and my never ending curiosity about what makes people tick. I read this book in two sittings because I hard a hard time pulling myself away. Patty Friedmann certainly has written an interesting novel about a character I won't soon forget.

Rating: (Good +)


Challenge Commitment Fulfilled: New Authors Challenge

Drop by the Patty Friedmann's website for more information about her and her books!

---

© 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.

---

© 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.

---

© 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.

---

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

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.