A belated Happy Easter to those who celebrated this past weekend! We enjoyed a quiet family dinner and the brief appearance of some spring sunshine between the snow and rain storms (it’s spring, what the heck with all the snow last week??!!).
With all the cold wet weather sticking around, I’ve been doing some reorganizing and spring cleaning. I boxed up about 100 books and donated them to the local library for their annual used book sale. Many of these books were actually from my unread TBR piles! I have hundreds of unread books in boxes and on shelves so I decided to reexamine them and donate ones I knew I would never get around to reading, like the eight novels in S.M. Stirling’s Emberverse series (I barely got through book two, the thought of reading any more makes my eyes glaze over) and several espionage-type novels that I really don’t know where they came from as that’s not a genre I normally read. Of course, 100 books gone means I have some room on my shelves…hmmm…
The Week in Books
Unmask Alice: LSD, Satanic Panic, and the Imposter Behind the Worlds Most Notorious Diaries by Rick Emerson — 4/4.5 out of 5 stars
Look for my full review here and at MrPinkInk the weekend of April 22-24!
Flood by Andrew Vachss — 3 out of 5 stars
One of my April selections. The first in the Burke series, we are introduced to a “renegade private eye” who takes on a new client known as Flood, a lethal woman in her own right, who is looking for a twisted child murderer. Burke’s connections and knowledge of the seedier side of New York City takes us to places that are difficult to forget. Overall, I liked this introduction to Vachss’ work. My biggest problem was there was waaaaay too much going on, shoved into 300 pages, almost like the author had a bunch of ideas and couldn’t decide which to choose so he put them all in. Reading other reviews, many agree with this and several Vachss fans have said this is probably the weakest in the series. While not my favorite read of the year, I am definitely hooked and will be returning to Burke’s dark world very soon!
Girl, Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen — 3 out of 5 stars
I think the longer I have a book on my “must read” list, the more my expectations grow, which often leads to disappointment on my part. I’ve heard a lot over the years about Kaysen’s memoir that highlights her stay at a mental hospital in the late 1960’s and finally had a chance to read it. I was immediately absorbed by her story and finished it in one sitting, but I was left feeling like there was something missing. I think I was looking for more back story or maybe some insight into her problems. While I would recommend this, it left me feeling a bit underwhelmed, but as I mentioned it is due to my expectations and not the memoir itself. Side note: if you’ve seen the movie and think it’s worth watching be sure to let me know and I’ll check it out.
Novellas, Short Stories, and Anthologies
Rouge Street by Shuang Xuetao — 4 out of 5 stars
Three novellas that take place on Yanfen Street, also known as Rouge Street, in the city of Shenyang, China, stories that I would describe as darker literary fiction with a dash of magical realism. Each story is unique and beautifully written. Yes, there are a lot of characters and a lot of POV switches, but well worth reading. I truly can’t wait to read more from this author.
A Cold Place For Dying by Kristopher Triana — 3.5/4 out of 5 stars
Two novellas in this NightWorms exclusive published by Thunderstorm Books. The title story has Joe, an out-of-shape widower, heading out to the mountains to do some deer hunting on Christmas Eve. As a snowstorm closes in, he finds himself in a fight for his life after coming across two strangers in the wilderness: a woman who claims to have escaped from a rapist holding her hostage, and a man who claims to be her husband and insisting she’s the one who is mentally unstable. This one kept my attention, I needed to find out what the hell was going on! The second story, The Love Nest, is one that I can’t describe without giving away the main spoiler so I’ll just say this: it reminds me of those cheesy pulp novels with a supernatural twist. Just when I thought I knew what was going on, it went off the rails. If you’re familiar with Triana’s work then be sure to check these out.
Stay safe and Happy Reading!
All Dragons Read 