Book Review #58: "Mexico: Stories"

Hey Everyone,

     I am going to review the book "Mexico: Stories," by Josh Barkan. This book was published on January 24, 2017 by Hogarth: The Crown Publishing Group. This book is hot off the press so for those of you who would like to purchase a copy of this book CLICK HERE.  To read an excerpt from this book CLICK HERE. Josh Barkan is an experienced author whom his novels are based off of his experiences in living abroad in foreign countries and are shaped by his interests in politics, history and literature. He also is the author of the book "Blind Speed." 

     Overall I rated this book three and a half stars out of five. This book was a collection of twelve different stories taken place in Mexico (hence the title). In each of these stories crime and the Mexican drug cartel is the common thread tying these stories together. This was a well written book. Each story was similar yet unique. The stories were told in a way it brought humanity and culture together. Human pain and strength bonded these stories together. I will let you choose which is your favorite story. Mine is "The Prison Breakout." 

     I want to thank Netgalley, Josh Barkan, and Hogarth: Crown Publishing Group for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Until the next page,

Jill

Book Review #40: "Dark Matter"

Hey Everyone,

    I am going to review the book "Dark Matter," by Blake Crouch. This book is hot off the press being published today July 26, 2016 by Crown Publishing. For those of you who would like to purchase a copy of this book CLICK HERE. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the author Blake Crouch, he is best known for his book called Pines (The Wayward Pines Series). And as you know this book has been made into a TV series on FOX network. "Dark Matter" is about the choices we make in life and how all the choices we make lead us into different paths. It is about how far we will go to make the best choices. Jason Dessen is a physics professor with a wife and child he loves. Jason ends up discovering a way to time travel back through important moments in his life where, through this time traveling he is able to make different choices. And then of which he is able to see his present and future of what would happen if he made a different choice. It is a story of regret but in learning how to make choices he will not regret. 

     Overall I rated this book four stars out of five. This was one mind bending book. My mind, thoughts was constantly going. This review is not going to do this book justice because there is no good way to describe it. This book is as mind bending as trying to tell a child how to put a concrete value on infinity. This book took place in a world where there is infinite amount of choices we make throughout our lives from choosing the clothes we wear to choosing whether or not to have kids. This book examines each of our choices and how our lives would have played out with every different choice we make.  This book had my mind churning, the whole time, even when I was not even reading it. I love books like this, books that light the fire in our brains. I love it when I find a new author and a good book.  It was so intriguing that I am looking forward to reading the Wayward Pines series.

     I would like to thank Netgalley, Blake Crouch, and Crown Publishing Group for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Until the next page,

Jill

Book Review #38: "The Sunlight Pilgrims"

Hey Everyone,

     I am going to review the book "The Sunlight Pilgrims," by Jenni Fagan. This book is hot off the press being published today July 19, 2016 by Crown Publishing/Hogarth. Many of you might know the author who is best known for her novel "The Panopticon," of which I just purchased. For those of you who are interested in reading more about the author you can read her blog The Dead Queen of Bohemia. And to purchase a copy of "The Sunlight Pilgrims CLICK HERE. This book is about three people coming  together in a time where the world is freezing over. Dylan who is grieving over the loss of his mother and grandmother goes on a mission to bury them, in their homeland. On his way he ends up in a small caravan town, where he comes across Estella and Constance, a mother and daughter who are prepared to survive during this cold winter. Dylan's presence in their lives will bring on new emotions and change the perspectives of everyone involved in this story.

     Overall I rated this book three and a half stars out of five. This book was so beautifully, artistically and creatively written. It had drops of dystopian, apocalyptic descriptions, love, transgender,  fantasy and local folklore of which fit in this book perfectly. The characters in this book were strong, especially Estella, who you can't help but fall in love with her by the end. There were times in this book that I felt it was too wordy with description of which made some parts read slower. But it was the beauty of the language of which this story was told, is what I most appreciated. This book is not one that I would normally pick up and read, but I am glad that I expanded my horizons in choosing to read this book.

     I would like to thank Netgalley, Jenni Fagan, and Crown Publishing/Hogarth for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Until the next page,

Jill

Book Review #35: "I Am No One"

Hey Everyone,

     I am going to review the book "I Am No One," by Patrick Flanery. This book is hot of the press being released today July 5, 2016 by Crown Publishing Tim Duggan Books. For those of you whom are interested in purchasing a copy of this book CLICK HERE. This book is about a professor, Jeremy O'Keefe, who leads two different lives in the UK and the USA He moves back to the USA to rekindle his role as a father. He learns that his life and his activities are not as private as he might have thought. Most of this story takes place after the events of September 11 where our feelings of security and safety were threatened and later questioned. When Jeremy moves back to the United States he has some strange things happen to him, such as he keeps bumping into this one stranger, and strange boxes keep arriving at his doorstep. 

     Overall I rated this book three and a half stars out of five. It was a very interesting and intriguing book. This book is about so much more than what is written on the cover. It brought forward some interesting concepts and questions of the recent world we have been living in. Such as where is the boundary line between your right to privacy and the public's right to information? Imagine receiving a file on everything you have done in your life, private and public. A little creepy huh? But after September 11, this is the type of world we live in. Do we sacrifice privacy for safety? Although I understand that the author was trying to form Jeremy Okeefe's character as normal and insignificant as possible. In doing this, it made Jeremy's character seem dull and annoying at times throughout the book. I think if the characters were written to be more likable this would have made this book better. However, it is still a good book, intriguing and worth the read. 

     I would like to thank Netgalley, Patrick Flanery, and Crown Publishing Group Tim Duggan Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Until the next page,

Jill

Book Review #30: "Evicted"

Hey Everyone,

     I am going to review the book "Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City," by Matthew Desmond.  Matthew Desmond is an associate professor at Harvard University, a co-director of the Justice and Poverty Project, and also the author of a book "On the Fireline." This book is a first hand account of Matthew Desmond's observations, his experiences, among eight families in Milwaukee, Wisconsin who are struggling with poverty and eviction. It is also about the landlords who profit off of them, and the flawed system America has with keeping the poor, poor. Overall I rated this book five stars out of five. This book is a must read, we need to bring this book into America's classrooms. There is so much information on this book all over. To find more information on this book and on how you can help CLICK HERE. Below is a video book trailer.

This book was just released on March 1, 2016, and it was published by The Crown Publishing Group.  I am definitely regretting that I did not read this earlier. And for those of you who are interested to purchase a copy of this book CLICK HERE. 

     This book was difficult to read, it actually made my stomach sick because of how the poor are thrown out of their houses, all in a scheme to make profit for the landlords etc.. It was sickening in reading about the deplorable conditions that these families lived in. As difficult this book was to read it is one that must be read. It is one that will unveil the ignorance and blindness that some wear. This is a subject that everyone needs to read about and expose ourselves to. No one will truly understand unless one has lived in this type of situation. And there is no one better to write this book than Matthew Desmond the author, who himself grew up in a family who was financially struggling. 

     I would like to thank The Reading Room, Matthew Desmond, and The Crown Publishing Group for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Until the next page,

Jill