Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage

Have you ever thought, "I'm just too comfortable around children.  I want to feel a healthy dose of fear when a six-year-old grabs my hand or a toddler smiles at me.  What if my instinct was instead to lock them outside and call the police?"  Buddy, have I got a book for you.

If the effect of the twins in The Shining is just starting to wear off, you need to read Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage.  Hanna is of great concern to her mother, Suzette.  Hanna does not talk.  She occasionally growls...or barks...or causes problems so major she gets expelled from school.  But actual conversation, not so much.  Don't worry, Hanna has no problem getting her point across.

Suzette, who has suffered with health problems all her life, wants nothing more than for her daughter to grow up healthy and happy.  But as Hanna's frightening and uncontrollable behavior escalates, Suzette realizes she wants those things less for Hanna's good than for her own sanity.  The gulf between mother and daughter widens as Hanna displays a new facet to her personality--possibly a new personality altogether.

And where is daddy dearest during all this distress?  He's often at work and only sees Hanna at her cheeriest, which is clearly intentional on her part.  She's a daddy's girl and as we find out during Hanna's chapters, her fondest wish is for it to be just the two of them with no pesky mommy to get in the way.  But how can she achieve this end?

I had absolutely no idea where this story would take me as Suzette's life spiraled out of control and Hanna's wicked little plans took shape but it was quite a ride.  The ending?  Simultaneously satisfying and anxiety-inducing.

I got a free advance ebook of Baby Teeth from NetGalley for review purposes.

The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen

The official description of this book is meant to be mysterious and intriguing. Instead, it helped me figure out "the big twist" when I was about 2% of the way into the story.

From Goodreads.com:

"When you read this book, you will make many assumptions.

You will assume you are reading about a jealous wife and her obsession with her replacement.

You will assume you are reading about a woman about to enter a new marriage with the man she loves.

You will assume the first wife was a disaster and that the husband was well rid of her.

You will assume you know the motives, the history, the anatomy of the relationships.

Assume nothing."

So I spent the majority of the book nodding to myself as the evidence mounted up that I was, in fact, correct. True, there were a few more twists toward the end, but I was absolutely correct when I guessed what the big secret was.

You would think that this would ruin the book for me, but it didn't. I actually really enjoyed reading it, perhaps partly because I wanted to vindicate my surmise, but also because it was just plain good.

Honestly, I don't know how anyone would NOT figure this out after reading the description, so I think the publisher should have gone with something else. But judging from the reviews I've seen, an awful lot of people didn't figure it out and were thoroughly shocked.

I found myself telling everyone I knew about this book. I gave multiple recommendations to women who had read The Girl on the Train and/or Gone Girl and liked them. Because that's the genre this falls into. I call it The Girl Who genre. You know what I'm talking about. And it's a genre I like a lot, so it was a relief that this book was so good, despite its transparent plot.

Rating out of 5 stars: 4

I received an advance copy of this book through NetGalley.

Just One Damned Thing After Another

Title: Just One Damned Thing After Another
Author: Jodi Taylor
Genre: Wacky, intelligent fiction
Format in which consumed: Kindle ebook
Rating out of 5 stars: 3.75

This book is smart, funny, and interesting. But for some reason it took me forever to read. There was just no urgency for me to find out what was going to happen.

Max, the main character, is witty and well-educated with some kind of vaguely tragic backstory. And I don't know quite how to put this, but she was made all the more relatable because it's easy to forget she's a woman. I imagine it would be easy for a male reader to put himself in her shoes because she's neither very feminine nor masculine. She just sort of goes about her life, pursuing the bizarre occupation of time-traveling historian and eventually falling in love with a man, thereby providing some of the few reminders that somewhere under those dusty coveralls, there beats the heart of a girl. But other than her awkward love life, there is nothing much to set her or any other female apart from their co-workers other than their education and titles at St. Mary's (hotbed of secret historical research via never-explained time travel pods).

And maybe that's not a good thing. Because I honestly couldn't keep the characters straight, even Max's love interest. Other than Max it was just a blur of snarky, subversive people who were constantly popping out of hallways and making off-kilter statements.

I know that isn't a ringing endorsement, but if you enjoy smart books about history and adventure with a little bit of sci-fi flavor, you will probably love it.

The Christian and the Vampire

Happy Halloween! Are you looking for a creepy tale of evil and darkness? Well this isn't it!

This is a story of redemption, of good overcoming bad.  There's great characterization, especially of Taz, the main character.  Taz uses his humor, wits, and knowledge of the Bible to try to convert an unlikely subject.  You guessed it, a vampire.

This is a quick read with lots of scripture to back up the message. I recommend it if you're interested in Christian fiction, vampires, or the idea that ANYONE can be saved. It approaches the subject of the undead and salvation in a way I've never seen. Unlike in the works of Anne Rice, the vampires don't get to bypass all the rules.

Look for this short story by Vikki Kestell on Amazon.

The Haunting of Hill House

Creeping me out is not that easy. I can watch ghost movies or read scary books right before bedtime and then sleep like a baby. Turns out the supposedly scary books I've read have been too obvious, or perhaps a little too weird, for me to take seriously.

Stephen King is all well and good, but I've never found any of his creations truly frightening. Probably because I just can't see a sentient car trying to kill me.

Visiting a house which is known to be haunted and having the heck haunted out of you, however, seems possible to me.

Shirley Jackson, as the undisputed queen of 20th century Gothic tales, was a master at creating a chilling atmosphere. I love those moments in books where I stop reading and gasp aloud. Usually, they're brought on by the pieces of a mystery falling into place or a sudden revelation. I can't ever remember having that reaction because something was so spooky. Until now. Twice while reading The Haunting of Hill House, I jumped back, wide eyed because the story had lulled me and then shaken me violently.

But the scary bits are just a tiny part of what makes this book so wonderful. The characters are real and intricate, especially the two women. Eleanor and Theodora take Dr. Montague up on his invitation to investigate the titular haunting and find themselves instant friends.

The vast majority of the book comes to us from the perspective of Eleanor, a narrator of dubious reliability. But is it Eleanor herself who is unreliable or is the house affecting her in strange ways? She is a highly imaginative woman whose stifling life has made her hungry for the enchantments of stone lions and picnics by a brook. Her desperation to belong draws her toward any available port and Theodora's easy camaraderie gives her hope that she will find a home with her somehow.

As Laura Miller points out in this edition's introduction, Jackson frequently presents the reader with two paired women as representations of her own dual personality. She could write about the bleakest, most distressing topics, but at home she was the happy mother and hostess. Drawing on this chaotic version of domestic bliss, she wrote articles about her real life for women's magazines. How fortunate she was to find a willing audience for both the darkness and the light inside her.

Dan Wells, My New Favorite Author

I Am Not A Serial Killer has been on my list of books to read ever since it came out. (Quick summary: it's like the Dexter series but infinitely better.) It sat patiently on my list while I read dozens of other things. Then one day, my world changed. I discovered they were coming out with a movie and that there is now a series of books.

I said to myself, "Quick, to the bookshelf, Kyle!" I call myself Kyle.

I make it a rule to read the book before I see a movie if it looks like the book is any good at all. So I have now spent numerous hours reading all about everyone's favorite sociopathic teen, John Wayne Cleaver. And then I rented the movie from Amazon and watched it twice.

Having seen the preview, I couldn't help but imagine Max Records as John. Slowly I realized that there was nothing dislodging this image from my mind because the books give very little indication of what John looks like. This bothered me for about 0.5 seconds until I considered John's personality. Told in the first person, his story is one of alienation and confusion. John never experiences emotion in a "normal" way. He's either giddy at the thought of touching a dead body or semi-annoyed when the cutest girls in school want to talk to him.

John doesn't really care what he looks like and we therefore don't get a self-centered description from the book's hero. And yes, John is a hero despite his shortcomings and defects. He is an extreme example of someone choosing to use their unusual traits for good. As a student of serial killers and a sociopath himself, he decides to step in and stop the killer stalking his town because it takes one to know one.

Some people have expressed a bewildered frustration with the first book because part of the way through THE ENTIRE FREAKING GAME CHANGES. But I say don't let that stop you. It's still an awesome book and the rest of the series so far is greatly pleasing. Just take it from your old friend, Kyle.

Might as Well Be Dead-Nero Wolfe

Might as Well Be Dead, by Rex Stout, is a Nero Wolfe novel. What you need to know: Nero is an obese, genius detective who only leaves his comfortable home under the direst circumstances and sends his right hand man, Archie, out to do all the dirty work. Archie is quick witted and great with the ladies, also with the punching people.

This is not the cover of my edition, but I couldn't find it online and uploading it myself is not high on my list of priorities. Let's just say this one is equally compelling and those little criss crossy lines are not merely the artistic expression of the cover designer. No no, ladies and gents. They are the wire mesh between Archie Goodwin (swoon) and the man he's questioning. A man already convicted of murder. But did he do it?! And is the man even who he claims to be?! So many questions?!

I enjoyed every page and the writing is highly entertaining. This book, originally published in 1956, is #27 in the series and I had no trouble following who everyone was and what was going on. It's a quick read and the characters are fantastic, so if you're looking for something enjoyable and satisfying it might be just what you need. I absolutely plan to read more of these myself.

What's That Book? It worked, do it again!

Thank you, whatsthatbook.com. The book I was looking for yesterday is Captives of Time by Malcolm Bosse. It took less than 24 hours to get the correct response.

And thank you, Squish, for answering my question. I've posted another query now and have high hopes for this one as well. The question I answered was confirmed as correct as well, which pleases me. I don't understand how that process works and wasn't able to find it on the FAQs. I'm guessing the site admins approve the answers since I don't see any way for me to tell Squish that they identified the book I was looking for.

What's That Book? Well, what is it?!

I have a few books I've been trying to identify for years now. These are books I read in middle school and I cannot remember the titles for the life of me.

A plea on this blog did once get me a response through Facebook and my trusty high school English teacher, but there's another book that's been bugging me lately.

Casting around online, I found and decided to join www.whatsthatbook.com and post on there.  
Here's what I said:

I probably read this in the late 1990s and I'm guessing it was published within ten years before that. Young adult fiction, but rather mature subjects. A teenage girl is orphaned and has to take care of her younger brother. They are traveling on foot and she meets a young man who wants to be a knight and seduces her. He's later murdered.
She is raped by two men and I think her brother might die later in the book. I'm pretty sure she has sex for money at least once. (This is definitely not a book I should have been allowed to get my hands on at that age, but it was in the YA section of the library...) The plague is coming through and I think she is living in a town and working as a servant when this happens.
The edition I read was hardback and the cover was rusty red and had sort of a creepy medieval woodcut feel and there may have been a picture of a clock somewhere on the front.

But before I posted my question, I answered one for someone else or at least gave it my best stab. The search functions aren't great, but a lot of people seem to have gotten answers to their book quandaries. Here's hoping I'll be one of them.

That being said, if you have any idea what book I'm talking about, please let me know!

The Cask of Amontillado: Halloween 1

Halloween, 2015: Day 1

I like to celebrate Halloween. A lot. Starting on the first day of October, in fact. My desk at work is already decorated and I'm considering my costume options (I'm thinking Shriner).

In preparation for this festive day, I will cram my blog with as much creepy fun as I can. I'll be reviewing and posting about all the atmospheric and unsettling books and stories I can think of. What better way to start off than with the master himself, Edgar Allan Poe?

Click here for one of my personal favorites--The Cask of Amontillado. Check out the rest of PoeStories.com for more stories and poems by the original emo kid as well as biographical information and a list of the delicious and eccentric words he used.

Depraved Heart-Excerpt

I just read an excerpt of Patricia Cornwell's new Kay Scarpetta novel, Depraved Heart (isn't that just the best title?) and it was great. I have read several of Patricia Cornwell's books and always enjoy them.

If you're interested in reading the first three chapters, they are here. I love the part in chapter 1 where she says "A select few of us come into this world not bothered by gruesomeness." Having studied to be an embalmer, I can identify with this statement.  There are just some people who don't mind being close to death and these are the ones on whom we depend to care for our dead and sometimes find their killers.  Scarpetta represents this group perfectly.

There will hopefully be more posts about this book as I am trying to snag an advance copy.  Stay tuned.

The Goldfinch

The Goldfinch, by Donna Tartt, is a remarkable story which follows young Theo Decker across the country and through drugged-out hazes and terrifying incidents. The settings are large, significant places: New York City, Las Vegas, swaths of Europe. But it wasn't always this way for Theo. The only thing that has derailed his relatively normal life is the day he and his mother pay an impromptu visit to the art museum. His beautiful, charming mother loses her life there in a multi-bomb terrorist attack and Theo stumbles away almost without realizing he's done something that will change his life forever. As his shell shock subsides and his precarious position in the world becomes obvious, he also finds himself burdened with a terrible secret.

The scope is Dickensian (there, I said it, although it's already been said by so many other reviewers) and the plot is twisty and expansive at the same time. But this is a story largely made up of the minutiae of life. Meals are eaten, cigarettes are smoked, and people discuss their fears, families, and foibles. Tartt has that Stieg Larsson talent of making it genuinely interesting to read about someone fixing their lunch.

All this is to say that The Goldfinch is a large, serious work that somehow is a huge pleasure to read. Those small, seemingly insignificant details are what make Tartt's book so unexpectedly pleasing. Theo is an intelligent, likable kid. And it's painful to watch him deal with his mother's death. It's disappointing when he becomes a juvenile delinquent in response to the loss of the life he's known. The reader is made to feel all the lost emotions someone in his circumstances are bound to experience. Time and time again he makes bad decisions or narrowly escapes the fallout from a foolish choice. But during my reading I never brought myself to hate Theo or be angry or frustrated with him when he's made such a mess of his life. He's such a realistic character that you feel as if you know what it is like to be him, not just know him. In this way, Tartt makes him sympathetic rather than annoying.

Theo isn't the lone standout character among a sea of colorless personalities. I would like to list for you the characters in this book that I don't believe I will ever forget, but the list would probably get a bit tiresome. Some are delightful, some are selfish, and others are so bizarre yet well drawn that you can easily imagine having met them once or twice.

The book has received some scathing reviews. Critics have called it childish and accused Tartt of helping dumb down adult readers. But her writing is beautiful. And for all the flaws reviewers have pointed out in the story and its too-neatly-tied-up ending, I would rather read 100 pages of Donna Tartt describing an excellent meal and a walk in Central Park that read 10 pages of John Steinbeck. Guess that makes me dumb.

The Paris Wife and That Cad, Hemingway

This is a book that left me feeling raw. Hadley Hemingway was Ernest Hemingway's first wife, the wife he took to Paris to pursue his career as an author. In the book she is a likeable and vibrant character who puts up with far too much from her husband. This account is fictional but draws all its characters and major events from the couple's real life.

There are no spoilers in this post; even if you know nothing about Hemingway's personal life, the title alone should tell you that this marriage didn't last til death did them part. Ernest Hemingway was an amazing writer and there has never been anyone else quite like him when it came to literature or living such a ridiculously aggressive life.

***Just kidding, there are some possible spoilers***
Some of what follows could ruin things for you if you only know the basics of the story and want to leave yourself some surprises. If you want to read the book and find out for yourself, keep scrolling until after the Eiffel Tower.
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***

The trick that Paula McLain pulls in this book is pretty impressive. I was only briefly frustrated with Hadley during a period where she, Ernest, their toddler, and Ernest's mistress are basically living together. The rest of the time I could see things from Hadley's perspective and understood why she was putting up with Ernest's nonsense. Hadley makes it clear how miserable she was during that time, but finds it impossible to leave Ernest yet because she still loves him very much. She knows he has been influenced by their friendship with many bohemians who live in similar situations and almost allows herself to be talked into settling down this way permanently. This is a woman I should have wanted to shake some sense into, but instead found myself sympathizing with.

I found the disintegration of their relationship very upsetting for many reasons. Neither of them were made happier by it, according to the book. Hadley would have loved to stay married to him (minus the tramp) for the rest of her life. And Ernest  certainly wasn't happier with any of the string of women he married and ran around with after he and Hadley were through. Ernest ends up with a gun in his mouth, which is an inevitable end for someone as wrecked as he was. Hadley does at least have a happy second marriage which survives the test of time.

Their breakup also made me kind of hate Ernest. I don't want to hate Papa Hemingway, the golden god of fly fishing and bullfights, but my goodness that man must have been a selfish jerk. For all his machismo, Ernest couldn't be a man when it really counted. He could watched the most violent encounters at Pamplona and lord it over the "lesser" men who are sickened when a man or an animal spills its blood into the dust. But he couldn't bring himself to be honest with his wife. He could drink and brag and act like a tough guy, but he became a quivering idiot at the thought of losing one of his two women. In the end, the man couldn't even face his own life, so how could he be expected to treat anyone else decently?













Anyyyywayyyy

It's a good book, it truly is. And I'm glad I read it. But prepare yourself for some rough emotional waters. It's a testament to McLain's writing that I was so upset. I generally don't get upset when bad things happen to people in books (Game of Thrones is totally different, so just shut up), however Hadley got my sympathy. She was a real woman to whom these real things happened and McLain gets inside her head and inhabits her perspective, thoughts, and emotions. At the end of the book the first Mrs. Hemingway feels like a dear friend you want to protect and who makes you want to be a better person, which is exactly what Ernest says about her late in the book as things get very rough. Let's hope she does a better job of improving us than she did with him.

The Corrections

Jonathan Franzen is a disturbingly realistic writer. He describes things in ways you instantly recognize, but have never thought to put into words. It took me at least 3 years of on and off reading to finish The Corrections. Each page is dense with some of the best writing you'll find today.

The scenery, the relationships, and the situations are so lifelike you will recognize most of them in your own life, or at least feel like you should. Unfortunately, the reader is rewarded for absorbing all this material with a rather lackluster ending. It's not one of those conclusions that makes you want to crawl out of your own skin because the truths are so darn universal and humans are so selfish, etc. (which is pretty much what I was expecting). Instead, the book wraps up happily for nearly everyone. It turns out there wasn't much holding the family back from fulfillment and contentment. Guilt is lifted, tides are turned, and even though I really don't like the icky endings books like this often have, I was a little let down that this one was so pleasant. Many of the characters deserved the miserable lives they'd built for themselves.

But don't let that stop you from reading The Corrections. A few pages of sunshine at the end don't overshadow the deliciously realistic prose in the rest of the book.