Shelter; Jung Yun

Shelter; Jung Yun

Picador - 2016

Kyung Cho is a 36 y/o Korean American who lives near Boston with his Irish American wife

Gillian and the couple's 4 y/old son Ethan. Kyung's life is falling apart. He's a mediocre professor at a

university nearby, the couple's finances are a mess, owing more on their house than it's worth and 

mounting credit card debt to boot. Kyung also feels like a failure as a husband and a father. To make 

his stress even worse is the fact that for years he has had a strained relationship with his parents who live 

in an upscale neighborhood nearby.

Kyung's father is a highly respected professor and inventor who pulls in lots of grant money for the 

university he works for. His father Jin is wife beater and his mother, Mae a child abuser. Needless to say, 

despite being given every material advantage as a child, the emotional scars and hostility he feels toward

his parents have never been forgiven. He's pretty much severed contact with his parents, but hasn't 

totally cut them out of the picture yet.So when a violent home invasion turns his parents life upside down,

Kyung isn't sure how to react. The scars of childhood are ones he can't seem forget.

Shelter is a terrific character study, seen mostly from Kyung's POV, although we do get insight from the 

other characters as well. It isn't really clear until the end as to the extent of abuse that has occurred 

to make him harbor so much resentment and blame others for all his current problems.

This story wasn't perfect but I did enjoy it very much. Readers who enjoy suspense filled stories and

reading about family dysfunction should make sure they add this to their lists. Jung Yun is a promising 

debut author to watch for.

4.5/5 stars

(review copy)

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros - The Children; Ann Leary

Every Tuesday I host First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros where I share the first paragraph sometimes two, of a book that I'm reading or plan to read soon. 

The Children; Ann Leary
St. Martin's Press - May 2016

ONE

"One August morning in 1956, Whit Whitman sat down to a breakfast of soft-boiled eggs and toast with his grandmother Trudy.  They dined outdoors on the wide front porch of Lakeside Cottage.  Whit's father had an early golf game that morning.  His mother and sister had gone for a sail on the lake.  Although he was only eight at the time, Whit would always remember what he and his grandmother talked about during their breakfast.  First, Trudy had described her displeasure at finding the family cat on her bed when she awoke.  She had thought it was her sweater and was alarmed when it sprang from her hands.  Then they had discussed the weather."

What do you think -- keep reading or pass? 
(Feel free to join in this week by posting your intro below?

Missoula: Rape & the Justice System in a College Town; Jon Krakauer

Missoula: Rape & the Justice System in a College Town; Jon Krakauer

Random House Audio - 2015

Missoula, Montana, population 70,000 and home of the University of Montana's highly successful football team, the Grizzlies.  This book delves into the highly publicized rape scandals that took place between 2008 and 2012 at the University involving members of the football team.  It also highlights the outcomes of the Department of Justices year long investigation of these allegations.

The author shares several stories where rape and even gang rape perpetrated by football team members were reported.  Not all of the incidents were reported immediately, because the victims were reluctant to speak up for a variety of reasons. Some of the attackers were acquaintances and once the rape investigations were underway the victims were interrogated in a manner that made it seem that they were at least partially to blame for the attacks.  

Missoula, was hard to listen to at times and, it is a story that will likely anger many readers or listeners.  They story seemed well-researched and included actual transcripts and recordings. It's an important story about a growing problem on colleges campuses today.  The audio version was fantastic but the material disturbing as well.  Narrated by Scott Brick and Mohan Marno - both were excellent.

4.5/5 stars

(library audio)

The Guise of Another; Allen Eskens

The Guise of Another; Allen Eskens

Seventh Street Books - 2015

Alexander Rupert is a Minneapolis, MN detective with a professional career that looks like it's on a downward spiral.  Once a Medal of Valor winner, now he's suspected of corruption in a drug case.  Reassigned to the Fraud Unit, he's miserable at work and his home life is a mess as well as he suspects wife Desi, is cheating on him.

Things heat up for Alexander when he is charged with investigating an automobile accident involving a Lexus and a Porsche.  The drive of the Porsche, James Putnam is dead but, he was using a fake ID.  So who is the dead man and what happened to the real James Putnam?  The investigation takes Alexander to NYC with links to a fifteen year old murder case.

The Guise of Another is a multi-layered story with great characters, including a crazed assassin from the Balkans. The story is highly charged with a few twists to keep things interesting and a satisfying ending.  Readers who enjoy crime and murder mysteries should try this one.  The author knows how to hold the reader's interest.  Although I liked this story, his debut novel, The Life We Bury was a favorite of mine. Be sure to try this author, you'll be glad you did.

3.5/5 stars

(eGalley)

Sunday Blatherings - It's Looking More Like Christmas than April

Yes, mother nature is had pulled a fast one on us. We had hail yesterday and woke to snow this morning and now we have 50 mph winds to contend with.  The funny thing is last Sunday (Easter) we were outside blowing bubbles with the girls, without jackets, after dinner.  Guess this weather will be a good excuse for a lazy reading Sunday indoors.

I've been really getting a lot of reading done between audios in the car, Kindle at bedtime and print books by day. March was my best month this year (38 books YTD) with (17) books read in March - (3) kids books, (4) audiobooks, (5) print books and (5) eBooks. 7/17 books were from the library, a place I can't resist - even more now since I retired.  Lately, my daughter and the girls have been checking out other libraries in the area each week and I never seem to go home empty handed.

1. Eleanor; Justin Gurley - 4.5/5 (arc) (March)
2. In the Blood; Lisa Unger - 4/5 (audio) (March)
3. I See You Made the Effort; Annabelle Gurwitch (NF) - 4/5 (arc) (March)
4. The Vegetarian; Han Kang - 4/5 (arc) (March)
5. Miller's Valley; Anna Quindlen - 4.5/5 (eGalley) (March)
6. The Good Death; Ann Neumann  (NF) - 4/5 (eGalley) (March)
7. He Will Be My Ruin; K.A. Tucker - 4.5/5 (eGalley) (March)
8. The Invaders; Karolina Waclawiak - 3.5/5 (library audio) (March)
9. Z: Zelda, a novel; Theresa Ann Fowler - 4.5/5 (library) (March)
10. Peppa Pig and the I Love You Game - 3.5/5 (library) (March)
11. Bear is Not Tired; Ciara Gavin - 4/5 (Library) (March)
12. Find Her; Lisa Gardner - 4.5/5 (eGalley) (March)
13. Spark Joy; Marie Kondo (NF) - 3/5 stars (library) (March)
14. The Little Tree That Would Not Share; Nicoletta Costa - 5/5 (library) (March)
15. All the Light We Cannot See; Anthony Doerr - (audio) - 4.5/5 (March) (review needed)
16. The Guise of Another; Allen Eskers - 3.5/5 (eGalley) (March) (review needed)
17. Missoula: Rape & the Justice System in a Small Town (NF) (Audio) (library) - 4.5/5 (review needed)

Current Reads - 

• Turn of Mind; Alice Laplante (audio)
• Shelter; Jung Yun (print)
• Fool Me Once; Harlan Coben (audio)
• The Children; Ann Leary (eBook)

Hope Everyone enjoys their day!

The Little Tree That Would Not Share; Nicoletta Costa

The Little Tree That Would Not Share; Nicoletta Costa

Holiday House - 2016

A little tree learns the importance of being kind and sharing in this sweet tale.

A little tree lived among the tall houses.  Once he began to grow and his leaves blossomed, he refused to share his shade with the birds, butterflies and other animals. He was afraid the others would make his leaves fall off.  When the birds approached he sent them away. The cats thought he was rude and that he was better than everyone.

When fall arrived and the temperatures dropped, the birds took flight to warmer places and "little tree" was alone when he began to lose his leaves one by one.  Little Tree thought he was sick until a patient crow explained the cycle of the seasons to him, promising that he would grow new leaves in the spring.  Spring arrived, the crow was right, and "little tree" grew new leaves and he was no longer afraid to share his leaves and his shade with cats and birds and butterflies.

My grandchildren really enjoyed the story and especially the lovely,  colorful and whimsical illustrations. First published in Italy in 2004, this is the first US printing.

5/5 stars
(library book)

Find Her; Lisa Gardner

Find Her, Lisa Gardner

Dutton - 2016

A long time Lisa Gardner fan, her latest thriller (book #8 in the Detective D.D. Warren series) was a story that kept me on the edge of my seat throughout.

Flora Dane is a woman who has been through hell and back but, she's a survivor. Years earlier she was kidnapped by Jacob Ness while on spring break.  He tormented and abused her while he held her captive for 472 days, spending much of her time in a coffin-sized pine box. Since her release she has spent lots of time working with an FBI victim's advocate, boning up on self defense and survivalist skills, and, a new obsession with the abductions of other young girls in the area.

Now five years after her release, a man has been found burned to death, a woman naked and bound and Boston Homicide Detective DD Warren, is wondering whether Flora is a victim or a vigilante.  The next day when Flora goes missing and in her apartment they find a wall covered with the pictures of missing girls, the detective is not sure what to think.

The story is told from the first person POV of Flora and the third person POV of Detective Warren.  Flora is a fantastic character. She's smart, attractive and emotionally scarred.  She does some incredibly risky things along the way.  The kidnapper is beyond creepy -- appearing normal to attract the victims and then crazed and deranged once he has his prey. This book is definitely not for the faint of heart. Very graphic and according to my husband caused me to yell out in my sleep a few nights as I read this one before bed.  

(You could read this one alone but, would recommend the entire series.)

4.5/5 stars

(eGalley)