The Goddesses by Swan Huntley ~ 1.5 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Alcoholism, Dysfunctional Families, Hawaii, LGBTQ

Thanks to NetGalley and Doubleday Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: Available Now

320 Pages

Synopsis: When Nancy and her family arrive in Kona, Hawaii, they are desperate for a fresh start. Nancy’s husband has cheated on her; they sleep in separate bedrooms and their twin sons have been acting out, setting off illegal fireworks. But Hawaii is a paradise: they plant an orange tree in the yard; they share a bed once again and Nancy resolves to make a happy life for herself. She starts taking a yoga class and there she meets Ana, the charismatic teacher. Ana has short, black hair, a warm smile, and a hard-won wisdom that resonates with Nancy. They are soon spending all of their time together, sharing dinners, relaxing in Ana’s hot tub, driving around Kona in the cute little car Ana helps Nancy buy. As Nancy grows closer and closer to Ana, skipping family dinners and leaving the twins to their own devices, she knows that she will do anything Ana asks of her.

Given the rating above, it probably will come as no great surprise that The Goddesses just was not my cup of tea. When I first saw the publisher’s blurb saying it was a cross between The Descendants and Single White Female, I was so excited. But it wound up not being anything like I expected.

I know I tend to go on and on about being able to connect to characters, but honestly, this is one of the first things I look for in a story. Here, I disliked everyone, with the exception of Nancy’s seventeen-year-old twin sons, Jed and Cam. While they were troublemakers, this was in response to their parents self-absorption and neglect. Most of the time I found them sweet and funny, and kept thinking that Nancy and Chuck didn’t deserve to have them as children. Actually, disliked might be too strong a word for my feelings toward everyone else. They were all just so boring, with little to no personality. Nancy and her adulterous husband Chuck, are cardboard cutouts of a married couple. Nancy especially drove me crazy with her judgmental attitude and neglect of her sons. She completely ignores her own shortcomings which made it absolutely impossible for me to emphasize with her. The only thing I can give them kudos for was the way they handled their son Cam’s coming out to them. And Ana, who I was expecting all sorts of exciting villainy from, was equally banal. When the book finally got around to revealing her motivations, it was completely predictable and left me thinking “That’s it? I stuck with this book for this?!”

As for the plot, instead of being an exciting thriller, it was more like wading through quicksand. I kept reading. I kept waiting. But nothing happened. Okay, there’s a little twist near the end, but it’s nothing inspiring, and even worse, there’s no real climax, and there’s no realistic resolution.

The only reason why I’m giving The Goddesses 1 1/2 stars is because I did love Jed and Cam, and I liked the setting of Kona, Hawaii, but even the beautiful setting was spoiled for me due to the utter lack of diversity. As always, I recommend that you check out other reviews before making up your mind if you want to try this. As for me, I don’t think I’ll be trying anything else by Swan Huntley.

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R.I.P. Sam Shepard

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R.I.P. Sam Shepard

When you hit a wall–of your own imagined limitations–just kick it in.

A Room So Still and Quiet It Hurts: A Collaboration of Warriors

Sarah is one of many writers I follow, and she constantly amazes me with her talent, whether she’s creating exciting stories about witches, vampires, and other supernatural creatures, or one of her breathtaking poems that always manage to touch my soul. This is one of the latest examples of her artistry. For those of us who live with chronic depression, this poem perfectly captures what many of us feel every day. She wrote it as part of a collaboration between writers who came together after the deaths of Chris Cornell and Chester Bennington.

Heartstring Eulogies

After the recent deaths of Chester Bennington and Chris Cornell, many of us were hit hard. I was lucky to be included with a large group of writers that came together to share our words and perspectives on the darkness that haunts people with depression. Below is my contribution to it. If you’d like to read the collaboration in it’s entirety, click the link at the bottom.

These bones have grown
weak and weary, while the rest
of the world has gone
dark and gray. Over time,
they’ve become more
than I can handle.
More than I can live with.
And these burdens I carry
are mine alone. No one
deserves to hold them
on their shoulders.
Which is why I’ll take them
with me. After the music
stops playing.

© Sarah Doughty

Source: A Room So Still and Quiet It Hurts: A Collaboration of Warriors

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Profiles In Courage

Tags

Washington Politicians

 

 

As many of you already know, this past Friday, in the early morning hours, Senate Republicans lost their third bid to overturn the Affordable Care Act. If they had succeeded with their “skinny repeal” at least 16 million people would have lost their health insurance next year. The reason this happened is due to three courageous senators who stood up to their Republican colleagues who wanted to push through anything, no matter the consequences, simply for the sake of getting rid of the ACA. Senators Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and John McCain of Arizona, put country before party and voted to protect their constituents. Speaking for myself, who have become so jaded with Washington politics, this was an amazing moment. Especially as Senator Murkowski and her fellow Alaskan colleague, Senator Dan Sullivan, have been threatened by the Trump administration. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke has reportedly told them that Senator Murkowski’s earlier vote to not let the “skinny repeal” come to a vote “had put Alaska’s future with the administration in jeopardy.” Seriously? Who the heck threatens an entire state over a disagreement with its Senators? Wait a minute. This is Trump we’re talking about. What am I thinking?

Unsurprisingly, there are a lot of hateful things being said and written about these three Senators, by Trump supporters. Everything from  being labeled “cowards” and “traitors”, to actual death threats are being lobbed at them. John McCain, the war hero who was tortured by the Vietcong, has especially come under fire, which to me is sheer lunacy. But this is the ignorant and venomous times we live in. I just want to personally say thank you to Senators Collins, Murkowski, and McCain, for having the courage to do the right thing. And their actions have reminded me of one of my favorite J.K. Rowling quotes:

It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to your enemies, but a great deal more to stand up to your friends.

~ Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone ~

Missed Milestones

Tags

WordPress Milestones

A couple of weeks ago WordPress sent me one of these, which took me completely by surprise! It really doesn’t seem like I started blogging three years ago.

Boy time flies! I also realized that about six weeks ago I reached another milestone.

2,000 followers? This completely blew me away, and since then I now somehow have attracted another 265! At first I thought, “No way! That can’t be right!”

But nope. That’s what my WP stats say, so who am I to argue? I would just like to say THANK YOU to each and everyone of you who have been interested enough to follow me over the past three years.

You’re all so amazing, and I can’t truly express how much you mean to me, so hopefully these will help.

 

You guys are the best! I LOVE YOU!

The Washington Circus

Here’s an interesting perspective of the Trump administration from Pete who lives in the U.K.

REDFLAGFLYING

When Donald Trump became the President of The United States last year, he did so on the back of a lot of promises to the American people. Those who believed his promises tipped the balance, and he was elected. Perhaps the most powerful of those promises was the he would ‘Make America Great Again’.

Looking back over this new administration, it seems to me that he has reneged on all his promises. From building the ‘Mexican Wall’, to turfing out all the illegal immigrants, creating American jobs for American people, and that one about making America great again. He and his merry-go-round cabinet and administration appear to have achieved very little. He didn’t manage to repeal Obamacare, and has also made the running of the world’s most powerful country a laughing-stock. He did get in some spiteful laws concerning transgender people and abortion, removed his country from any serious attempts…

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The Last Magician by Lisa Maxwell ~ 4.5 Stars

Tags

Fantas, Historical Fiction, Time Travel, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon Pulse for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: Available Now

512 Pages

Synopsis: Stop the Magician. Steal the book. Save the future.

In modern-day New York, magic is all but extinct. The remaining few who have an affinity for magic–the Mageus–live in the shadows, hiding who they are. Any Mageus who enters Manhattan becomes trapped by the Brink, a dark energy barrier that confines them to the island. Crossing it means losing their power–and often their lives.

Esta is a talented thief, and she’s been raised to steal magical artifacts from the sinister Order that created the Brink. With her innate ability to manipulate time, Esta can pilfer from the past, collecting these artifacts before the Order even realizes she’s there. And all of Esta’s training has been for one final job: traveling back to 1902 to steal an ancient book containing the secrets of the Order–and the Brink–before the Magician can destroy it and doom the Mageus to a hopeless future.

But old New York is a dangerous world ruled by ruthless gangs and secret societies, a world where the very air crackles with magic. Nothing is as it seems, including the Magician himself. And for Esta to save her future, she may have to betray everyone in the past.

I’ve been looking forward to The Last Magician since I first heard about it several months ago, and for the most part it was everything I was hoping for. I mean, gorgeous cover, and historical fiction, mixed with magic and time travel? What’s not to love? 

Let me start with the world-building, which is simply amazing. The New York of 1902 is the same New York we know from the history books. From high society with its familiar names, to the grittiness of the streets with its roving gangs–everything remains intact, with the added element of magic. I thought the beginning was a little choppy, with the backstory being introduced from several points of view from alternate timelines. Although the multiple POVs remain, once everyone is settled in the same timeline, the story becomes much easier to follow. 

While there are quite a few characters, for me, Esta is the standout. A thief at heart, she’s just so much fun. She’s hardworking, independent, loyal, and willing to put her life on the line. And, she always has the purest of intentions, even if things don’t always work out the way they were supposed to. I also loved the brooding Harte Darrigan, who never seemed to be able to catch a break. The scenes with the two of them were my favorites. The only other issue I had was the amount of distrust that exists between the characters. Most of the tension in the book comes from people not knowing who to trust, and while in some regards, this is understandable, there were times that it went to far didn’t make sense to me. 

Overall though, I absolutely loved The Last Magician and I can’t wait for the second book in this duology! I highly recommend this imaginative and engaging fantasy to teens and adults who are fans of this genre.

 

Trump Bans Transgender People From Serving In Military

Tags

Bigotry, Transgender Military Members, Trump

So, the man who received five deferments from Vietnam is now saying that transgender people who wish to serve their country, can’t. And, additionally leaves in jeopardy the careers of the already 15,000 trans troops already serving. To say I’m sickened and disgusted doesn’t quite sum up my feelings. Let’s just say there was a lot of swearing in my house this morning. And don’t forget, this is the man who during a 1993 appearance on Howard Stern’s show said:

You know, if you’re young, and in this era, and if you have any guilt about not having gone to Vietnam. We have our own Vietnam. It’s called the dating game.

 

I could continue with my rant, but instead I’d like to express my gratitude to everyone, including transgenders who serve in our military and continually put their lives on the line.

Prejudice is a great time saver. You can form opinions without having to get the facts.

~ E. B. White ~

There is nothing more frightful than ignorance in action.

~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe ~

Standing against discrimination for some, while supporting discrimination against others, hurts us all.

~ DaShanne Stokes ~

 

The Marriage Pact by Michelle Richmond ~ 4.5 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Cults, Psychological Suspense, Relationships

Thanks to NetGalley and Bantam for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: Available Now

432 Pages

Synopsis: Newlyweds Alice and Jake are a picture-perfect couple. Alice, once a singer in a well-known rock band, is now a successful lawyer. Jake is a partner in an up-and-coming psychology practice. Their life together holds endless possibilities. After receiving an enticing wedding gift from one of Alice’s prominent clients, they decide to join an exclusive and mysterious group known only as The Pact.

The goal of The Pact seems simple: to keep marriages happy and intact. And most of its rules make sense. Always answer the phone when your spouse calls. Exchange thoughtful gifts monthly. Plan a trip together once per quarter…Never mention The Pact to anyone.

Alice and Jake are initially seduced by the glamorous parties, the sense of community, their widening social circle of like-minded couples. And then one of them breaks the rules. The young lovers are about to discover that for adherents to The Pact, membership, like marriage, is for life. And The Pact will go to any lengths to enforce that rule. For Jake and Alice, the marriage of their dreams is about to become their worst nightmare.

The Marriage Pact poses an interesting question. With so many marriages ending in divorce, how far would you go to guarantee that your own marriage stayed intact? I have to be upfront and say that there’s a certain amount of disbelief you have to suspend going into this book. I mean, who in their right mind would sign a contract to join a group that they really know nothing about? And, Jake and Alice don’t even read the contract, despite Alice being a lawyer herself. But they both have their own reasons why they’re drawn to this group, and much to my surprise, I found myself being a lot more understanding than I thought I would. 

The story is told by Jake, and perhaps because of this I felt more connected to him than Alice. They’re both highly educated people, but because of their individual insecurities, they allow themselves to be sucked into this cult. Naturally, it’s not long before the newlyweds discover that The Pact is not the benevolent group of “…like-minded individuals intent on achieving a similar goal.” Far from being supportive of their members, there are consequences for breaking the rules listed in the Manual. At this point Jake and Alice want to leave, but no one ever leaves The Pact. 

There are many twists and turns in this story, which kept me glued to its pages. For the majority of the book, I honestly had no idea where this was going to end up, and as the conclusion neared I found myself shocked at the way events unfolded. And the ending? Well, let’s just say you’re going to either love it, or you’re going to hate it.

The Marriage Pact had me hooked from the very beginning, and with its relentless pace, I finished it over the course of two nights. Yes, there are some moments that will leave you incredulous, but the book is so well written, that this doesn’t negatively impact the story. It’s a truly creepy tale that will leave you wondering “What if?”

First We Were IV, by Alexandra Sirowy ~ 2.5 Stars

Tags

Bullying, Friendship, Mystery, Romance, Suspense, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Books For Young Children for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: July 25th, 2017

448 Pages

Synopsis: It started for pranks, fun, and forever memories. A secret society–for the four of us. The rules: Never lie. Never tell. Love each other. We made the pledge and danced under the blood moon on the meteorite in the orchard. In the spot we found the dead girl five years earlier. And discovered the ancient drawings way before that. 

Nothing could break us apart–I thought. But then, others wanted in. Our seaside town had secrets. History.

We wanted revenge.

We broke the rules. We lived. We told. We loved each other too much, not enough, and in ways we weren’t supposed to. Our invention ratcheted out of control.

What started as a secret society, ended as justice. Revenge. Death. Rebellion.

Despite a promising beginning, First We Were IV wound up being a frustrating read for several reasons.

First, it felt as though I was reading two separate books simultaneously. One was a creepy and compelling tale about four teens trying to solve a girl’s murder that occurred when they were children. This was what I liked the most. But then there was another side which was your stereotypical YA story where a group of teens feel like the entire world is against them and decide that they’re much better than anyone else around them. To prove their superiority, they they form a secret society to strike out against the town and their classmates. Oh! And while they’re performing random acts of vandalism and violence, they’re also falling in and out of love with each other at a rate that made my head spin.

The other issue I had was with the characters themselves. There was only one of the foursome that I actually liked, Harry, who is the on-again, off-again boyfriend of Izzy, who primarily tells the story. The others, including Izzy, are immature, bland and uninteresting at best, self-centered and arrogant at worst. Izzy, Harry, Viv, and Graham, have all been subjected to bullying which should have had me emphasizing with them, but because of their attitudes and actions, completely turned me off instead. And as for the adults, well, they all pretty much fit into the stereotypical roles that unfortunately you find in a lot of YA fiction. There’s the lazy and ineffectual police; the clueless parents and school officials; the elderly, nosy neighbor; the abusive father, etc. The way adults are often portrayed in YA literature is a particular pet peeve of mine, so I was extremely aggravated. After over 400 extremely long pages, the ending finally came, only to leave me feeling even more frustrated and unsatisfied. 

In my humble opinion, if the author had focused more on the murder mystery and Izzy and her friends trying to get justice for this girl that the rest of their town had purposely forgotten, this would have been a great book. But instead, it spins off into too many different directions including much too much high school drama. Simply cutting some of this soap opera would have made this a tighter and more controlled story.

I have to be honest and say that there are far more positive than negative reviews for this, so please go check them out before making up your mind as to whether you’re going to read this or not. As for me, this is the third book I’ve read by Alexandra Sirowy, and I had many of the same issues with all of them. It might just be that her writing style isn’t for me.

*Krysti, over at http://yaandwine.com absolutely loved this if you’d like to check out another opinion. And she’s having a giveaway!*