Coming Soon to a Bookstore Near You - A Pleasure and a Calling; Phil Hogan

Here's my "Coming Soon to a Book Store Near You" pick for today.  What do you think?

A Pleasure and a Calling; Phil Hogan

Picador - 2015

(Description) -- IN THE TRADITION OF PATRICIA HIGHSMITH'S TOM RIPLEY NOVELS COMES A DELICIOUSLY UNSETTLING TALE OF PSYCHOLOGICAL SUSPENSE THAT DELVES INTO THE MIND OF A MAN WITH A CHILLING DOUBLE LIFE.

Mr. Heming loves the leafy English village where he lives. As a local real estate agent, he knows every square inch of the town and sees himself as its protector, diligent in enforcing its quaint charm. Most people don't pay much attention to Mr. Heming; he is someone who fades easily into the background. But Mr. Heming pays attention to them. You see, he has the keys to their homes. In fact, he has the keys to every home he's ever sold in town. Over the years, he has kept them all so that he can observe his neighbors, not just on the street, but behind locked doors.

Mr. Heming considers himself a connoisseur of the private lives of others. He is witness to the minutiae of their daily lives, the objects they care about, the secrets they keep. As details emerge about a troubled childhood, Mr. Heming's disturbing hobby begins to form a clear pattern, and the reasons behind it come into focus. But when the quiet routine of the village is disrupted by strange occurrences, including a dead body found in the backyard of a client's home, Mr. Heming realizes it may only be a matter of time before his secrets are found out.

 

A brilliant portrait of one man's obsession, A Pleasure and a Calling is a darkly funny and utterly transfixing tale that will hold you under its spell.

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros - House Broken; Sonja Yoerg

Every Tuesday I host First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros, where I share the first paragraph or (a few) of a book I am reading or thinking about reading soon.

House Broken; Sonja Yoerg

NAL/ Penguin - January - 2015

Chapter 1 - Geneva

"Dr. Geneva Novak stared at the X-ray clipped to the light box on the wall.  She tilted her head sideways and squinted at the contents of the dog's stomach.  The iPod was obvious--it faced her--but the object protruding from the large blurry mass stumped her.  Rectangular, with two bright white bars.  Only metal lit up like that.

She clenched her jaw.  That would be the third time she would have to operate on Zeke to remove things he'd swallowed, things his owner shouldn't have left lying around.  After the second incident, she had talked to the owner at length about how to protect his dog.  She recommended he walk Zeke daily, so the dog wouldn't turn to mischief out of boredom, and suggested he either keep his apartment orderly or confine the dog when he left the house.  Nearly all dogs come to love their crates, she reassured him.  Geneva had written down the instructions and told him he could call her anytime for help.  But when Zeke's owner brought him this morning, he confessed he hadn't followed through on anything.  And the outcome was illuminated in black and white on the wall."

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What do you think, would you keep reading? Feel free to join in and post the Intro from one of your reads by linking below.

Revival; Stephen King

 Revival; Stephen King

Scribner - 2014

I couldn't wait to read Revival, Stephen King's latest novel, especially after having enjoyed the last (3) King novels I tried: 11/22/63, Doctor Sleep and Mr. Mercedes.

In this story there are pretty much (2) characters, Jamie Morton, who we meet as a six year old child and Reverend Charles Jacobs, a preacher who comes to Jamie's local Methodist church when he was a young boy in Maine.

Unlike parents today, in the 1960's many parents thought nothing of sending a young child off to spend some time with an adult neighbor, friend or parish priest. Reverend Jacobs first arrives in town alone, his wife and son arrive later, and Jamie begins spending time with Rev. Jacobs who is somewhat of a mad scientist.  He shows him some secret experiments with electricity and later demonstrates their power to heal.

When tragedy strikes the reverend and his family, he gives a sermon which has him quickly removed from his congregation and the community.  Many are shocked by what was said by the preacher and yet devastated by his departure.

Fast forward to 1992, Jamie is a heroin addict and rock band member. His band members have pretty much abandoned him. At a state fair, Jamie crosses paths with the former Reverend Jacobs who now goes by a different name and new vocation. Can a fallen preacher, mad scientist, be just what Jamie needs to set him on the right track? At what price?

The novel covers a period of about 50 years, and while the first half of the book held my interest, the second half was slow going. It is, however, the last section that packs a wallop and stuck with me, it is here that the writing reminded me of the Stephen King style of writing I like best. Not a perfect story, but it did make me happy that I stuck with this novel. The audio version was read by David Morse who did a decent job.

3.5/5 stars

(Audio book and Kindle eBook)

The Jaguar's Children; John Vaillant

The Jaguar's Children; John Vaillant

Houghton, Mifflin Harcourt

In The Jaguar's Children, Hector Gonzalez is convinced by his friend, Cesar Santiago to join him in an illegal attempt to cross the border to the US from Oaxaca in Mexico. The two along with 13 others are hidden in an empty water truck, and at least Hector, we know, has paid 30,000 pesos for his chance at freedom.

As the group makes their journey, it soon becomes evident that Lupo, the driver has abandoned the truck, leaving the immigrants who are confined in the tank with little food or water. Hoping to be rescued, Hector uses a hidden cellphone of his unconscious friend Cesar, in an attempt to send a signal for help.

The story is told solely by Hector through a series of texts and sound files. It’s a very different way to read a novel for sure. The story is compelling, but gets a bit confusing as a there is almost a secret subplot involving Cesar who is trying to smuggle a separate story of his own across the border as well.  This part disappointed me, as I was expecting to learn more about the other illegals and their personal stories as I read and that never happened.  

The tension and desperation is felt throughout the story and that really drew me in. What causes individuals to that causes them to try such dangerous stunts? I was anxious to find out whether those involved would be rescued before it was too late.

The Jaguar’s Children is a good story especially given all the current controversy surrounding illegal immigrants. The story wasn’t perfect, but it did hold my interest pretty well.

4/5 stars (eGalley)

Coming Soon to To a Book Store Near You - The Girl on a Train; Paula Hawkins

Here's my "Coming Soon to a Book Store Near You" pick for today.  What do you think?

The Girl on a Train; Paula Hawkins

Riverhead - January 2015

A debut psychological thriller that will forever change the way you look at other people's lives.

Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning. Every day she rattles down the track, flashes past a stretch of cozy suburban homes, and stops at the signal that allows her to daily watch the same couple breakfasting on their deck. She’s even started to feel like she knows them. “Jess and Jason,” she calls them. Their life—as she sees it—is perfect. Not unlike the life she recently lost.

And then she sees something shocking. It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough. Now everything’s changed. Unable to keep it to herself, Rachel offers what she knows to the police, and becomes inextricably entwined in what happens next, as well as in the lives of everyone involved. Has she done more harm than good?

Compulsively readable, The Girl on the Train is an emotionally immersive, Hitchcockian thriller and an electrifying debut.

Florence Gordon; Brian Morton

Florence Gordon; Brian Morton

Houghton, Mifflin Harcourt - 2014

Florence Gordon is a blunt, smart, grumpy, senior citizen and life-long feminist. She’s divorced from Saul, but hasn’t gotten him out of her life 100% as he always seems to need a favor from her now and then. She’s a woman who beats to her own drummer, has never tried to look younger than her years, and now she’s writing her memoir. She’s also very self-aware, and as she writes wonders whether anyone would want to read a memoir about her……

Quote---Florence Gordon was trying to write a memoir, but she had two strikes against her: she was old and she was an intellectual.  And who on earth, she sometimes wondered, would want to read a book about an old intellectual?

Maybe it was three strikes, because not only was she an intellectual, she was a feminist. Which meant if she ever managed to finish this book, reviewers would inevitably dismiss it as "strident" and "shrill".
 
As the story opens she’s taken away from her work when a friend throws her a surprise 75th birthday party.  When she arrives and sees all the people who have showed up for her party, she thanks them for coming (thinks to herself that she really doesn’t care what these people think nor does she need them in her life) and, she immediately leaves to go back home to continue with her writing. This sets the tone for just the type of woman Florence Gordon is. Florence also has strong opinions of how people should behave – even the pan-handlers in NYC, she stops and tells one pan-handler to “stand up straight and look people in the eyes” when asking them for money.

Florence has still more life-interruptions during her memoir writing summer as well.  Her son Daniel a Seattle police officer, much to Florence’s disapproval (after all he is the son of two intellectuals) returns to New York from Seattle with his wife Janine (who Florence considers a “suck-up”) and their college age, daughter Emily.  Their summer in New York and personal drama adds an interesting element to the story, especially when Emily begins spending time with Florence and helping her with her work.

The story is told in short, quick flowing chapters. I thought that the author, Brian Morton, did a great job with all of his characters, showing their flaws and vulnerabilities, and most of all making them seem so human.  He gives the reader a lot to think about in terms of how we view our own lives and situations that we are forced to deal with. Florence is definitely center-stage throughout the novel, yet the character development with Daniel, Janine and Emily added other elements of interest to the story as well. I was happy I read this novel.

4.5/5 stars
(eGalley)

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros - The Jaguar's Children; John Vaillant

Every Tuesday I host First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros, where I share the first paragraph or (a few) of a book I am reading or thinking about reading soon.

 The Jaguar's Children; John Vaillant

Houghton, Mifflin Harcourt - 2014

1

Thur Apr 5 -- 08:31 [text] 

Hello I'm sorry to bother you but I need your assistance--I am Hector--Cesar's friend--It's an emergency now for Cesar--Are you in el norte?  I think we are also--Arizona near Nogales or Sonoita--Since yesterday we are in this truck with no one coming--We need water and a doctor--And a torch for cutting metal

Thur Apr 5--08:48 [text]

Please text me AnniMac -- We need help

Thur Apr 5--08:59 [text]

Are you there AnniMac? It's Hector--Please text me

Thur Apr 5--09:52 [text]

There was a storm--1 bar only now -- ARE YOU THERE??? 

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What do you think, would you keep reading? Feel free to join in and post the Intro from one of your reads by linking below.