Funeral Hotdish by Jana Bommersbach

March 23, 2016 By Leave a Comment

HOTDISH
Funeral Hotdish by Jana Bommersbach
Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
Genre: Recent Historical, Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense
Length: Full Length (238 pgs)
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Sensational crime, intrepid reporter, deaths too close to home Seeing Sammy the Bull Gravano strut through a Phoenix restaurant shocks investigative reporter Joya Bonner. The notorious Mafia hitman nineteen murders and FBI snitch testimony sent Godfather John Gotti to prison is hidden in the federal Witness Protection Program, yet he s now a successful drug lord. His products travel national highways with tragic results for Joya s Midwest hometown, where grief turns to revenge, violence, and murder. By chasing the biggest scoop of her career, Joya risks her job, her love, and her life to see if Sammy can be stopped. Can she spur her family and neighbors at home to do more than let sleeping dogs lie?”

This funeral hotdish is more like a good chili – a whole lot going on and with a dash of spice.
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I love a good mystery. I cut my teeth on Agatha Christie novels when I was in junior high, so when I saw this book up for grabs, I nabbed it.

The premise of Funeral Hotdish is exciting. There’s possible murder, overdoses, family drama… oh and a mob situation to boot. With all of that in the plot, the story kept my attention. I wanted to know how everything would shake out. I mean, Sammy Gravano and John Gotti in a book? Yeah, this has to be a winner.

Well…kind of a winner. While the book was good and the plot had more twists and turns than a mountain road, I had a few issues.  Ms. Bommersbach has a definitive writing style and while she’s descriptive, the author tends to head hop a bit. I had to go back an reread to make sure I knew whose point of view I was in a few times. Some readers might not be bothered by this. Unfortunately, I was. Another thing I had a tick of trouble with were the descriptive parts. Now don’t get me wrong. I felt like I was right there with Joya sorting out this mystery. I did. But there were times the story felt more like informational dumps, rather than pulling me in with description.

Now I know it sounds like I wasn’t thrilled. Not so. There is a thread of family and heartbreak that runs through this tale and I’m glad it did. It made me more emotionally involved with the story. The teen and boyfriend who takes the ecstasy…that thread hit close to home because the time the story is set (the late 1990s) was a formative time for me. I could see my friends in the characters of Amber and Johnny. So kudos to Ms. Bommersbach for reeling me in that way.

If you want a book that’s got twists and turns to boot, has characters you won’t forget and heart, then this might be the story for you.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee

August 12, 2015 By 1 Comment

WATCHMAN
Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee
Publisher: HarperCollins
Genre: Recent Historical, Fiction
Length: Full Length (278 pages)
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

From Harper Lee comes a landmark new novel set two decades after her beloved Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece, To Kill a Mockingbird.

Maycomb, Alabama. Twenty-six-year-old Jean Louise Finch–“Scout”–returns home from New York City to visit her aging father, Atticus. Set against the backdrop of the civil rights tensions and political turmoil that were transforming the South, Jean Louise’s homecoming turns bittersweet when she learns disturbing truths about her close-knit family, the town and the people dearest to her. Memories from her childhood flood back, and her values and assumptions are thrown into doubt. Featuring many of the iconic characters from To Kill a Mockingbird, Go Set a Watchman perfectly captures a young woman, and a world, in a painful yet necessary transition out of the illusions of the past–a journey that can be guided only by one’s conscience.

Written in the mid-1950s, Go Set a Watchman imparts a fuller, richer understanding and appreciation of Harper Lee. Here is an unforgettable novel of wisdom, humanity, passion, humor and effortless precision–a profoundly affecting work of art that is both wonderfully evocative of another era and relevant to our own times. It not only confirms the enduring brilliance of To Kill a Mockingbird, but also serves as its essential companion, adding depth, context and new meaning to an American classic.

It’s a whole new world and it’s a scary place, but please don’t ignore it.

Confused by that statement? Go Set a Watchman is set twenty years after To Kill a Mockingbird and presents the world as a bit of scary, confusing place. But don’t let the perceived fear of the unknown keep you from reading this book.

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I loved Atticus, Scout and Jem from To Kill a Mockingbird. This was a book that shaped my teenage years and the movie is part of my growing up. Atticus was the father figure I always wanted. I was afraid I’d dislike the book because I’d heard some pre-release buzz.

This is my take. Read the book. Read the book all the way to the end. Don’t give up part way through. Got that?

I’m serious. The payoff is worth it.

Scout is, but isn’t, the same little girl from the first book. She’s the same girl, but her views and opinions have changed because she’s lived in New York for a while. There she can be the bohemian of sorts woman, not tied down in marriage and not really caring what others think. Her free-spiritedness is refreshing.

But this story is a story of the times. In the 1950’s, there were pervasive problems with racism and sexism. What needs to be kept in mind while reading is that this book is truly a product of its era, but it’s also a learning curve and growth for Scout. Haven’t we all had a person in our lives whom we looked up to, then found out the person is human after all?

No spoilers, but this is Scout’s story. A lot of loose ends are tied up and sorted out. Scout comes into her own.

Yes, there are things in this book that might make some readers upset. Atticus turns out to not be the man on the pedestal like he was in Mockingbird, but as I’ve said before, read to the end. Everything will be explained and has a reason.

If you’re a little interested in or wondering about the book, pick it up. If nothing else, it may make you think. I sure did. I recommend Go Set a Watchman

Filed Under: Mainstream Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

Revival by Stephen King

February 5, 2015 By 1 Comment

REVIVAL
Revival by Stephen King
Publisher: Scribner
Genre: Contemporary, Horror, Recent Historical
Length: Full Length (403 pgs)
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

A dark and electrifying novel about addiction, fanaticism, and what might exist on the other side of life.

In a small New England town, over half a century ago, a shadow falls over a small boy playing with his toy soldiers. Jamie Morton looks up to see a striking man, the new minister. Charles Jacobs, along with his beautiful wife, will transform the local church. The men and boys are all a bit in love with Mrs. Jacobs; the women and girls feel the same about Reverend Jacobs — including Jamie’s mother and beloved sister, Claire. With Jamie, the Reverend shares a deeper bond based on a secret obsession. When tragedy strikes the Jacobs family, this charismatic preacher curses God, mocks all religious belief, and is banished from the shocked town.

Jamie has demons of his own. Wed to his guitar from the age of thirteen, he plays in bands across the country, living the nomadic lifestyle of bar-band rock and roll while fleeing from his family’s horrific loss. In his mid-thirties — addicted to heroin, stranded, desperate — Jamie meets Charles Jacobs again, with profound consequences for both men. Their bond becomes a pact beyond even the Devil’s devising, and Jamie discovers that revival has many meanings.

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Stephen King isn’t called the master of horror for nothing. His books are guaranteed to cause nightmares and to stick with the reader long after the last page. This book was no different.

I’ll admit. The beginning seemed slow. Really slow. I thought, there is no way this all works together. Why am I still getting these little tidbits of information? Hang in there, because it really does all go together.

Now all these little bits aren’t boring. I felt like I got to know Jamie Morton quite well. I could pretty much see the guy. I didn’t like him–not all the time, but I could see why he did what he did. The sweet little boy starts out just that. Sweet. It’s life and experiences in various bands that help to shape him and make him into a bit of a monster. He’s redeemable and that’s worth reading.

Then there’s Charles Jacobs. He’s a minister and seems to be quite good. But what he seems and who he is aren’t the same things. This guy…he brought a whole slew of emotions in me. I liked him, felt sorry for him, wanted to throttle him, then pitied him. He’s an interesting character. He’s full of surprises and ratchets up the fear factor by being someone you could know in real life.

There were times while reading this book that I wasn’t sure what would happen next. The term revival isn’t just for the title. Revival pertains to not only the religious situations, but also to life. Just when it seems like something can’t turn for the better, it does. It also turns for the worse. That’s what was so…scary good about this book. I never know what would happen and sure as heck didn’t see the ending coming. Wow.

If you want a book that will stay with you long after the last page with haunting characters and a plot that’s complex but interesting, then this is the book for you.  Recommended.

Filed Under: Horror, Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Fool’s Paradise by David Russell

January 9, 2014 By Leave a Comment

PARADISE
Fool’s Paradise by David Russell
Publisher: eXtasy Books
Genre: Recent Historical
Length: Short Story (39 pgs)
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

In the heyday of the Hippie Counterculture, Jim, a disaffected postgraduate, goes on a rural retreat in quest of his identity. He finds a cool alternative abode, which initiates in a bizarre relationship with the housemother, Celia, who turns out to be an undercover police officer, but also with dubious connections. Things develop, including a delicious one—off with Celia, and Jim is drawn towards the edges of nefarious activity. He ends up waiting for his Barrister, convinced he will clear him.

There are many indirect causes associated purchase cheap levitra with erectile dysfunction and other disease can occur. Oral pill is the commonest form of al kinds of drugs. discount viagra http://appalachianmagazine.com/2017/11/28/appalachias-old-regular-baptist-churches/ For instance, men taking nitrates should not use ED find out content lowest price for levitra drugs; otherwise, they may experience unpleasant side effects. Teachers often have to stand in the way of parent-child relationship. appalachianmagazine.com sildenafil in india Jim Herrington has found himself wandering and hitchhiking across America, trying to find his place in the world after some difficulties in his Academic workplace. Staying at a cross between a commune and youth hostel, he struggles to fit into the alternative, volatile situation he finds himself in. Ceila, the “house mother” is a strange, mysterious woman prone to sudden changes of heart, yet Jim finds himself unaccountably attracted to her.

This is a slightly strange book, unlike most anything else I’ve read. Told in the first person in some ways it’s difficult to understand what’s going on, as we can only see things from Jim’s perspective and experience. Also, while much is alluded to throughout the story, I didn’t feel as if some things were very clearly explained, things like why – exactly – Jim found himself at this hostel, what he was running from and whether he was complicit in much of the drug trafficking and such. In some ways this felt to me like one of those “confessions of” stories, and while I did enjoy it, I spent most of the time mystified as to where the story was going, what was fully happening with the plot, and what the thrust of the plot really was. Despite this I wanted to understand, the author’s writing was quick, precise and interesting and so I continued to read in the hopes of illumination. While even upon completion I still didn’t get most of it, I didn’t feel as if I had wasted my time either, reading something completely alternative and refreshingly different.

There’s no traditional romance or erotica in this short story, the sex is held pretty much behind closed doors (there’s no graphic content to it, merely a build up to it and then declaration of the act having been performed) and while it’s clear the main relationship is between Jim and Celia, I didn’t personally find any romance between them. For an erotic short story this surprised me, but seemed to resonate with the first person, slightly disjointed, mysterious tone and presentation of the whole tale. I feel that readers who are looking for something completely outside the box and different might truly enjoy this, but readers wanting just a quick, sexy read mightn’t find what they’re looking for here.

A really different read, but still enjoyable.

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

White Lines by Jennifer Banash

June 3, 2013 By 2 Comments

WHITE
White Lines by Jennifer Banash
Publisher: The Penguin Group
Genre: Recent Historical (1980’s), YA
Length: Full Length (288)
Age Recommendation: 16+
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Peppermint

Seventeen-year-old Cat is living every teenager’s dream: she has her own apartment on the Lower East Side and at night she’s club kid royalty, guarding the velvet rope at some of the hottest clubs in the city. The night with its crazy, frenetic, high-inducing energy—the pulsing beat of the music, the radiant, joyful people and those seductive white lines that can ease all pain—is when Cat truly lives. But her daytime, when real life occurs, is more nightmare than dream. Having spent years suffering her mother’s emotional and physical abuse, and abandoned by her father, Cat is terrified and alone—unable to connect to anyone or anything. But when someone comes along who makes her want to truly live, she’ll need to summon the courage to confront her demons and take control of a life already spinning dangerously out of control.

Cat’s story was riveting. It was filled with such suspense, it had me on the edge of my seat. I do not know which was worse, Cat’s social life or her family life. It was clear from the beginning she was willing to fill the holes left by her parents with anything available including a risky environment and drug usage.
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Cat is a character I wanted to hug at times to tell her life can be different and at others shake her until she realized the error of her ways. She was unfortunately dealt a bad hand in life when it came to her parents. It is clear that this is a major force in what has made her act and think the way she does. Unfortunately, it also created a teen who looked for attention and release from the wrong places. Her story brought out a multitude of feelings from me because it was so accurate to how life was during this age for some, as well as reminded me of some people I know that fell victim to this type of outcome or behavior. It definitely left me raw with emotion on multiple occasions, which is a testament of the author’s ability to create mental images with the words.

I found parts of this story tough to read, because of the subject matter. There is vast amounts of reckless behavior including various types of drug usage, underage drinking, underground clubs, and sketchy situations that could have deadly results. While this type of behavior is accurate of the underground club seen in the 80’s, it just felt a little too real at times.

This is a story that will stick with me for a while. I cannot help but wonder who Cat really was, and what happens to her in life. I would not be surprised if this character was based on a real person, because it was clear in the author’s writing that Cat’s story touched her and in turn touched me as well. I would love to read a sequel about Cat’s life and whether or not she was able to truly escape the lifestyle she so naively entered, or if she found a way to lift herself above and become a productive citizen in the world.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , ,
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