tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27446177489837861062024-03-05T22:30:22.394-05:00Jen's Book ThoughtsJen Forbushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13325129568512353951noreply@blogger.comBlogger1675125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744617748983786106.post-57027048572219607152016-08-10T03:00:00.000-04:002016-08-10T03:00:14.420-04:00The End of One Era...the Beginning of Another<span style="font-size: x-large;">I</span> thought yesterday's review of <i>The Big Thing</i> was a great lead in to my big announcement:<br />
<br />
<b>*drum roll*</b><br />
<br />
I'm wrapping up Jen's Book Thoughts. The content will still all stay here for anyone who happens upon it or cares to peruse it, but I'm officially moving to a full Wordpress website: <a href="http://jenniferforbus.com/">http://jenniferforbus.com</a>.<br />
<br />
I'll still be posting book reviews, so I hope you'll visit <a href="http://jenniferforbus.com/inquisitive-introvert-blog/" target="_blank">the blog</a>. But my personal Big Thing has been evolving over the last few years. First as I ventured out to work full time as a freelancer and more recently as I've been taking steps to improve and polish my photography. So this new site is another step in that direction. I've started some <a href="http://jenniferforbus.com/photography/" target="_blank">photography galleries</a> and will be incorporating photography (and some other topics) into the blog as well.<br />
<br />
I would not be at this step in my vague amorphous process if it were not for this blog and all of you who have read it, contributed to it and been my cheering squad along the way. I cherish every bit of it and each of you. So thank you for helping to get me to this new era in my life. I hope you'll come along for more.Jen Forbushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13325129568512353951noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744617748983786106.post-28632138094468304432016-08-09T11:37:00.001-04:002016-08-09T11:37:45.716-04:00The Big Thing-Phyllis Korkki<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcVJgzkQOU63OvxebD3yTEfeUqJTakg7bjVe5DOXDRCjl-fzFwtfI4G-C-lFYGciSZmG_9rp78d-rJA_VK3Ypr1xCgS_aNAWOXB9KOECc58s3oII1FvvtpJ_7A6fIIQ1qmDqTF47zbJGSy/s1600/big-thing.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcVJgzkQOU63OvxebD3yTEfeUqJTakg7bjVe5DOXDRCjl-fzFwtfI4G-C-lFYGciSZmG_9rp78d-rJA_VK3Ypr1xCgS_aNAWOXB9KOECc58s3oII1FvvtpJ_7A6fIIQ1qmDqTF47zbJGSy/s320/big-thing.png" width="211" /></a></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>First line:</b> "I've wanted to write a book since I was eleven."</blockquote>
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<i>New York Times</i> writer and editor, Phyllis Korkki, has always aspired to write a book. She has a novel in progress, but with <i>The Big Thing: How to Complete Your Creative Project Even if You're a Lazy, Self-Doubting Procrastinator Like Me</i>, she decided to explore the world of creative projects as she completed her own--the book. The Big Thing isn't a self-help book in the traditional sense of self-help works, but it is inspiring and insightful.<br />
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Throughout the eleven chapters, she examines a wide range of "big things" from art to charities, even the idea of not having a big thing. And Korkki illustrates how there is no one set recipe for achieving this monumental goal, but there are proven guidelines that may help some to stay focused and motivated...or even know when it's time to set "the big thing" aside for awhile or permanently.<br />
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Korkki interviews various specialists and masters in areas such as physical health and mental health to enlighten herself for her end goal and to help the readers further their own. From posture and breathing to dealing with anxiety and depression, maintaining one's health is imperative. She looks at the value of sleep and, while acknowledging that there is a very small percentage of the population that can function normally on very little sleep, the vast majority need regular, structured sleep patterns for optimal health: "Nearly all the functions of the brain and body improve after sleep, and are impaired by a lack of sleep." In other words, the belief, "I'll sleep when I'm dead" only gets you to dead faster, while it impairs your ability to complete your "big thing."<br />
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Korkki also delves into the opposite end with illness--both mental and physical--and how it relates to major accomplishments. Through artist Frida Kahlo, author Laura Hillenbrand and Charles Darwin she looks at various ways successful individuals have worked with and around their illnesses. Korkki even includes a section devoted to addiction.<br />
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Fascinatingly, Korkki found that "external rewards often undermine people's intrinsic motivation." And those extrinsic motivations have been growing over the past four decades due in large part to the growing presence of advertising. While they can be powerful, "research shows that when people become more focused on them, the quality of the product declines and they are less happy."<br />
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Old and young alike, Korkki finds evidence of The Big Thing in all ages and in all shapes ans sizes. People who go after their big goal while working full time or happen upon it before their teenage years. Plus, it's never too late. She advises:<br /><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"No matter who you are and what you do, you probably have at least twenty minutes a day--and probably much more--to work on your project, and that adds up. You need to trust in the power of incrementalism."</blockquote>
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Regardless of who you are, if you have aspirations of your own "big thing," you're likely to find valuable ideas and motivations in Phyllis Korkki's journey to her own goal. Written plainly and well-researched, <i>The Big Thing</i> is fascinating, thought-provoking, and eye-opening. I wanted to read this book because I have my own project and within the pages I found not only a lot to chew on (metaphorically speaking of course) but plenty to spark my own drive. She also provides a new perspective on a lot, like the idea of being lazy. It would be hard to finish this book and not feel ready to take on the world...or at least your "big thing." <br />
<br />
Korkki advises asking yourself three main questions in relation to your creative goal:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<ol>
<li>Do you have the talent/ability/skills to do this Big Thing, or the motivation to learn and practice them?</li>
<li>Do you have the commitment and drive to work on the Big Thing at least somewhat steadily?</li>
<li>Is it worth the sacrifice you will have to make, in time and money, to complete it? Maybe something else is more important.</li>
</ol>
</blockquote>
<br />
If you have something in your life that you could answer yes to on these questions, <i>The Big Thing</i> may be just want you need.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27213182-the-big-thing"><img src="http://tlcbooktours.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Add-to-Goodreads-badge.png" height="30" width="95" /></a></div>
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<i>The Big Thing</i> releases today in hardcover from Harper (ISBN: 9780062384300)and as an unabridged audiobook (ISBN: 9781504735629), narrated by Sandy Rustin, from HarperCollins and Blackstone Audio.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=DthARBMxI3I&subid=&offerid=189673.1&type=10&tmpid=939&RD_PARM1=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alibris.com%2FThe-Big-Thing-How-to-Complete-Your-Creative-Project-Even-If-Youre-a-Lazy-Self-Doubting-Procrastinator-Like-Me-Phyllis-Korkki%2Fbook%2F34265536%3Fmatches%3D10" target="_blank"><img alt="Alibris" border="1" src="http://xuni.com/jen/alibris-24h-95.gif" height="24" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;" width="95" /></a> <a href="http://amzn.to/2aCZzWa" target="_blank"><img alt="Amazon" border="1" src="http://xuni.com/jen/amazon-24h-80.gif" height="24" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;" width="80" /></a> <a href="http://amzn.to/2aD05mV" target="_blank"><img alt="Audible" border="1" src="http://xuni.com/jen/audible-24h-73.gif" height="24" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;" width="73" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/The-Big-Thing-Phyllis-Korkki/9780062384300?ref=grid-view" target="_blank"><img alt="Book Depository" border="1" src="http://xuni.com/jen/book-depository-20h-78.gif" height="24" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;" width="94" /></a> <a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=DthARBMxI3I&subid=&offerid=316894.1&type=10&tmpid=12385&RD_PARM1=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.downpour.com%2Fcatalog%2Fproduct%2Fview%2Fid%2F231202%2F" target="_blank"><img alt="Downpour" border="1" src="http://xuni.com/jen/downpour-24h-75.gif" height="24" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;" width="75" /></a> <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-big-thing/id1059652722?mt=11" target="_blank"><img alt="iTunes" border="1" src="http://xuni.com/jen/ibooks-24h-66.png" height="24" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;" width="66" /></a> <a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=DthARBMxI3I&subid=&offerid=361251.1&type=10&tmpid=9310&RD_PARM1=https%3A%2F%2Fstore.kobobooks.com%2Fen-us%2Febook%2Fthe-big-thing" target="_blank"><img alt="Kobo" border="1" src="http://xuni.com/jen/kobo-24h-73.png" height="24" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;" width="73" /></a></div>
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<br />
My review today kicks off the <a href="http://tlcbooktours.com/" target="_blank">TLC</a> book tour for <i><a href="http://tlcbooktours.com/2016/07/phyllis-korkki-author-of-the-big-thing-on-tour-august-2016/" target="_blank">The Big Thing</a></i>. Check the <a href="http://tlcbooktours.com/2016/07/phyllis-korkki-author-of-the-big-thing-on-tour-august-2016/" target="_blank">schedule</a> to see how other bloggers are reacting to Korkki's insights into your big creative project.<br />
<br />
<div style="line-height: 12px;">
<span style="font-size: 10px;"><b>Disclosure:</b> I do some contractual
work for one of the owners of TLC Blog Tours. My work with them does not obligate me to a specific kind of review.
The reviews are still my own opinions and reflect only my thoughts on
the novels. If you care to read more, you can find more information on
my <b><a href="http://www.jensbookthoughts.com/p/blog-page.html" target="_blank">Disclosure page</a></b>.</span></div>
Jen Forbushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13325129568512353951noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744617748983786106.post-35989652179156638292016-07-13T13:23:00.002-04:002016-07-13T13:23:52.600-04:00After Alice - Gregory Maguire<span style="font-size: x-large;">G</span>ood gads she's posting today! I'm so, so sorry for my silence of late, friends. I've been a bit swamped with work, some professional development classes, my nephew's baseball season and a big announcement I'll have coming soon. I hope you're all having a great July so far and finding lots of wonderful things to read. Before I post my review today, I just wanted to share a couple links with you. First is the <a href="http://popculturenerd.com/2016/07/05/nerdy-special-list-july-2016" target="_blank">July Nerdy Special List</a>. There's quite a few great books coming out in July; I had a hard time picking my title for this month, but I did finally narrow it down. There may or may not have been a coin flip involved. And secondly, I had my first review accepted by the <i>Christian Science Monitor</i>. That one is for Ben Winters' <i>The Underground Airlines</i>. You can <a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/Books/Book-Reviews/2016/0708/Underground-Airlines-takes-readers-on-a-turbulent-ride-of-imagination" target="_blank">read it here</a>. O.k. on to today's review...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQZWxXn4KlWTOO2jIZs1y_HgvPRracfi7DryDfiH3KhCT6vMkDCpAhZ9CTR5Sj15oQbXAKnqP73LiRNDsMmUk3hVQMT28fxzwv-GrJGX7BBVahZk01da1dNvibx1pQdTj3KMRJ2LbRqgRs/s1600/after-alice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQZWxXn4KlWTOO2jIZs1y_HgvPRracfi7DryDfiH3KhCT6vMkDCpAhZ9CTR5Sj15oQbXAKnqP73LiRNDsMmUk3hVQMT28fxzwv-GrJGX7BBVahZk01da1dNvibx1pQdTj3KMRJ2LbRqgRs/s320/after-alice.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>First line:</b> "Were there a god in charge of story--I mean one cut to Old Testament specifics, some hybrid of Zeus and Father Christmas--such a creature, such a deity, might be looking down upon a day opening in Oxford, England, a bit past the half-way mark of the nineteenth century."</blockquote>
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Those familiar with Gregory Maguire's (The Wicked Years series) work will likely not be surprised to hear me say that his stunning gift with words and story-telling made <i>After Alice</i> a delightfully charming, incredibly creative, deeply insightful fantasy that should stand the test of time, just as its inspiration, <i>Alice's Adventures in Wonderland</i>, has.<br />
<br />
<i>After Alice</i> is the story of Alice's friend Ada who is headed to see Alice just moments after the spirited young girl falls down the rabbit hole. Ada accidents upon the same gateway to Wonderland and finds herself spiraling down as well. Ada's descent into the wacky world of the Mad Hatter, Cheshire Cat, White Knight (or Night) and Queen of Hearts frees her from the physical disabilities she endured at home, so she sets out on a magical adventure to find Alice.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, back among the boring realities of home, Alice's sister, Lydia, and Ada's governess, Miss Armstrong, are trying to find the missing girls.<br />
<br />
Maguire's innate ability to build fantastic plots around the barely mentioned characters of epic fairy tales--plots that compliment and never contradict or alter the original stories--is awe inspiring. But he goes beyond that. In <i>After Alice</i>, the whimsical language echoes Louis Carroll's but still maintains a distinctness to Maguire's style. His playful approach to the world of words transfers to readers a youthful exuberance and giddiness while reading:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Beyond the door, the lawn was shorn and rolled to Pythagorean precision. The clouds were perfect, neither too many nor histrionic. As she watched hungrily, the cumuli began sliding down the side of the world and changing places with the lawn. This proved disconcerting, like a picture in a book turned upside down. Why, there was the Ace of Spaces digging a hole in the lawn-sky, and stuffing Rosa Rugosa root-first into the green-fringed heaven hovering over a blue eternal sky-sea. It was amusing to see the Ace of Spades sprinkle water upward.</blockquote>
<br />
Then while he's entertaining his reader with poetic imagery and playfulness, he sneaks in social issues--issues that seem to transcend time, like the glacial slowness of change:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"The law says one thing and custom another," replied Mr. Winter. "What the assemblies legislate and what happens on the back roads of small towns are not always in agreement. Put another way, history takes a long time to happen."</blockquote>
<br />
In this instance they're referencing the abolition of slavery in the United States during the Nineteenth Century, but that statement jumps off the page as glaringly true today for things like race, gender and sexual orientation equality.<br />
<br />
And Maguire's insights aren't confined to social issues. He taps into human complexities as well:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
As for dreams, they are powered by urgent desire, even if that desire is only to escape the quotidian. Ada, who lived with a sense of disappointment and failure, thanks to her misshapen form, suffered from a flat dream-life, one that seemed poorly differentiated from her waking hours. As a stolid child, her dreams were of static things, almost still-lifes: a lump of cheddar on a board, a goat roped to a tinker's cart, a curving road.</blockquote>
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This enchanting, fun spin on the classic tale of Alice's wild adventures is as surprising as it is entertaining. There are captivating curiosities with every page turn. So settle yourself in for a fall down the rabbit hole into the marvelous world of Gregory Maguire's Wonderland.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24331115-after-alice"><img src="http://tlcbooktours.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Add-to-Goodreads-badge.png" height="30" width="95" /></a></div>
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<i>After Alice</i> is now available in trade paperback from William Morrow (ISBN: 9780060859749). You can still get a copy in hardcover (ISBN: 9780060548957) and there's an unabridged audiobook (ISBN: 9780062562272), narrated by Katherine Kellgren, from HarperAudio.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=DthARBMxI3I&subid=&offerid=189673.1&type=10&tmpid=939&RD_PARM1=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alibris.com%2FAfter-Alice-Gregory-Maguire%2Fbook%2F31610775%3Fmatches%3D121" target="_blank"><img alt="Alibris" border="1" src="http://xuni.com/jen/alibris-24h-95.gif" height="24" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;" width="95" /></a> <a href="http://amzn.to/29JmiTe" target="_blank"><img alt="Amazon" border="1" src="http://xuni.com/jen/amazon-24h-80.gif" height="24" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;" width="80" /></a> <a href="http://amzn.to/29DtsL2" target="_blank"><img alt="Audible" border="1" src="http://xuni.com/jen/audible-24h-73.gif" height="24" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;" width="73" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/After-Alice-Gregory-Maguire/9781472230461?ref=grid-view" target="_blank"><img alt="Book Depository" border="1" src="http://xuni.com/jen/book-depository-20h-78.gif" height="24" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;" width="94" /></a> <a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=DthARBMxI3I&subid=&offerid=316894.1&type=10&tmpid=12385&RD_PARM1=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.downpour.com%2Fcatalog%2Fproduct%2Fview%2Fid%2F204464" target="_blank"><img alt="Downpour" border="1" src="http://xuni.com/jen/downpour-24h-75.gif" height="24" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;" width="75" /></a> <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/after-alice/id954587431?mt=11" target="_blank"><img alt="iTunes" border="1" src="http://xuni.com/jen/ibooks-24h-66.png" height="24" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;" width="66" /></a> <a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=DthARBMxI3I&subid=&offerid=361251.1&type=10&tmpid=9309&RD_PARM1=https%3A%2F%2Fstore.kobobooks.com%2Fen-us%2Febook%2Fafter-alice-2%3Fsp_AC%3D1" target="_blank"><img alt="Kobo" border="1" src="http://xuni.com/jen/kobo-24h-73.png" height="24" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;" width="73" /></a></div>
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<br />
My review today is part of the <a href="http://tlcbooktours.com/" target="_blank">TLC</a> book tour for <i><a href="http://tlcbooktours.com/2016/07/gregory-maguire-author-of-after-alice-on-tour-july-2016/" target="_blank">After Alice</a></i>. Check the <a href="http://tlcbooktours.com/2016/07/gregory-maguire-author-of-after-alice-on-tour-july-2016/" target="_blank">schedule</a> to see how other bloggers are reacting to their tumble down the rabbit hole with Ada.<br />
<br />
<div style="line-height: 12px;">
<span style="font-size: 10px;"><b>Disclosure:</b> I do some contractual
work for one of the owners of TLC Blog Tours. My work with them does not obligate me to a specific kind of review.
The reviews are still my own opinions and reflect only my thoughts on
the novels. If you care to read more, you can find more information on
my <b><a href="http://www.jensbookthoughts.com/p/blog-page.html" target="_blank">Disclosure page</a></b>.</span></div>
Jen Forbushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13325129568512353951noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744617748983786106.post-74659605000741365212016-06-27T20:05:00.000-04:002016-06-27T20:05:03.696-04:00The Price of Prosperity - Todd G. Buchholz<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSg3EnSoMN72M3F8u50E06j_dqrtknQKQvM3pd3ktSNhGgKUpQWW9A-dcl6Qc64SxWrvgXaV25lltYqKMfFyCTfsoxZYf46LUiu9XaD1qWki-4Rz0XwJ_C-gUKCx0JX2V_ZW0SfYeB7-XQ/s1600/price-prosperity.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSg3EnSoMN72M3F8u50E06j_dqrtknQKQvM3pd3ktSNhGgKUpQWW9A-dcl6Qc64SxWrvgXaV25lltYqKMfFyCTfsoxZYf46LUiu9XaD1qWki-4Rz0XwJ_C-gUKCx0JX2V_ZW0SfYeB7-XQ/s320/price-prosperity.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
<b>First line:</b> "I am a little kid in the backyard, swatting mosquitoes off my legs and waiting for Dad to flip a burger onto my paper plate."<br />
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Todd Buchholz's book <i>The Price of Prosperity: Why Rich Nations Fail and How to Renew Them</i> is his argument for why wealthy nations fall. He examines economic, political and cultural realms that he believes contribute to the undoing of these prosperous countries. Buchholtz views birthrates, global trade, debt, work ethic and patriotism (or lack thereof) as the central fissures in the strength of a successful nation.<br />
<br />
As much as I was looking forward to reading this book, I was ultimately disappointed. As much time and effort as Buchholz puts into detailing historic empires and their leaders, he fails to address many of the arguments that counter the foundation for his theory. In an effort to make economics a bit more entertaining, he provides metaphors and examples using current pop culture, but many if not most fall miserably short of actually supporting his arguments.<br />
<br />
I was a bit apprehensive when early in the book, during his discussion of decreases in birthrates, he makes a comparison between numbers of children and numbers of pets:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"We have about 75.5 million children in the United States but 90 million cats, 75 million dogs, and 170 million freshwater fish. Together Petsmart and Petco sell $10 billion in pet goods. The largest children's retailer, the Children's Place, earns just $1.8 billion in revenues, pretty much equivalent to what Americans spend on snakes, turtles and lizards."</blockquote>
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The impression that is created--and I believe intended--is "wow! Look how much more we spend on our pets than our children." Only he's comparing apples to basketballs. The last time you walked into a Petsmart or a Petco, what could you buy for an animal there? Food, treats, clothes, leashes/crates/etc, bedding, grooming, training, toys....this is, of course, an incomplete list and can cover a pet for its entire life. Children's Place sells clothing and maybe some minor accessories for a limited span of a child's existence. Children require far more time, money and resources to raise than any pet that's legal to own in the United States.<br />
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Now in the whole scheme of things, this comparison is pretty unimportant to the book, but the fact that something so banal is full of logic holes puts the reader on alert immediately.<br />
<br />
Ultimately Buchholz's point is that the wealthy have fewer children than the poor:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"US families earning over $75,000 per year have fewer than fifty-five babies per thousand women. This is half the birthrate of families earning less than $10,000."</blockquote>
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He does go on to say that children are "messy, loud, worrisome, and expensive." But a paragraph later says,<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Yet children have always been messy, loud, and expensive. In 1900 the average white woman in America was ringed by three or four whining, crying, and loving children...So what has changed to explain the declining preference for children? And why is it so widespread?" </blockquote>
<br />
The answer to that question could be a book in itself. And in the United States it's not going to change while college-educated, career-minded women are penalized for having children.<br />
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Buchholz then goes on to talk about historical cultures whose downfalls followed wealth and subsequent drops in birthrates. One example he uses highlights a culture that essentially farmed out their military because they didn't have enough citizens to serve in it. And the military was then susceptible to the highest bidder and turned on the country it was supposed to be defending. Legitimate concern. However, in the United States, the wealthy are the least likely to even serve in our military. So if the idea is for the wealthy to have more children, I'm not sure how this example fits into the scheme of his argument.<br />
<br />
And the elephant in MY room while reading this section is lack of discussion about the limited resources of the planet. Even in our prosperous United States, we have areas that struggle with viable water sources. We don't want to become one of the nations on Earth that don't have room or food or water for the huge families they are having in order to have strong numbers to defeat their enemies. If we can't take care of our citizens, our enemies are a moot point. Then of course there's also the damage it does to other elements of the planet that we destroy in order to make room for the growing numbers. The planet's population is larger than it's ever been and it's not moving backward despite low birthrates in some countries. At one point, Buchholz seems to be mocking politicians who care about the environment, and he says,<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"What a shame if an avalanche of our debt buries our grandchildren so deeply that they have to sell off national treasures to make ends meet."</blockquote>
<br />
Granted at this point he's talking about government debt, but this point so oversimplified the issue of the environment and never even touches global warming. It also neglects the point that if we don't do something to counteract things like our abysmal infrastructure and education system--both things that continue to erode because we're worried about this debt--debt isn't going to matter to our future generations because the country won't exist as it is now. <br />
<br />
Now Buchholz does proceed and address the value in immigration, but his offered solutions for how to deal with the resistance to immigration fall very short and, quite honestly, left me with a bad taste in my mouth:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"But I would ask this question: if other advanced countries impose six months to an entire year of mandatory service on their own citizens, would it be so terrible to impose some slight inconvenience on immigrants who apply for citizenship, especially an inconvenience that would enhance their knowledge of the country they aspire to join?"</blockquote>
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We already impose a test on these people that many natural citizens can't pass. But let's add to the expense of the process, requiring them to travel around the country and not be working so they can have their passports stamped at "historical landmarks, museums, and libraries." And I'm still not sure how that helps our xenophobic culture be more accepting of these people, who are already proving their dedication to the nation.<br />
<br />
Buchholz says he would impose a similar requirement for any U.S. citizen who applies for a student loan through a federal program. Again, people in need of money are now put at further disadvantage in order to prove they are worthy. Never mind the towering debt that's burying these young folks already. No mention, however, of big businesses and the wealthy that take advantage of tax breaks and other government funds.<br />
<br />
Sadly, I found myself going through the entire book this way. I typically mark up pages with excerpts I love and word choice or phrasing that moves me. In this reading I was marking every passage where I found logic issues or neglect of relevant information. And I'm not referring to one-off exceptions.<br />
<br />
Buchholz refers to the average income of people in the United States. With our current income chasm, the "average" doesn't refer to a lot of households. He says, "The price system and the 'invisible hand' of the market coordinate all of this." No, they don't. That's why we have unions, regulations, child labor laws, etc. And when those regulations have been drawn back, we see that greed knocks the invisible hand right off the invisible wrist.<br />
<br />
He refers to the laziness of teenagers and the fact that fewer have summer jobs. But there's no evidence he did any research as to why fewer have summer jobs. Is it possible they are volunteering? participating in various kinds of summer camps? taking care of younger siblings at home? And generations don't simply become lazy on their own. To point the finger at this generation and say they have a bad work ethic is to completely ignore the helicopter parent phenomenon and the role that plays in the child's development. He refers to them not being willing to relocate to a state with lower unemployment rates and not getting driving licenses. However, he neglects to address the costs that keep people from doing things like this. He talks about cars and their affordability. Sure if you come from a well-to-do family, money isn't as big an issue, but Buchholz has already pointed out that the well-to-do are having fewer children. The poor don't have money for additional cars, insurance, license fees, etc. And if you don't have a reliable source of transportation, could that possibly impact your ability to get or hold a job?<br />
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There is a section that directs attention to the Labor Participation Rate and Buchholz refers to it as the "proportion of adults who want to work." But he mentions nothing about the growing numbers of people who have taken themselves out of this arena because they've tried to find jobs and have been unsuccessful for so long that they've given up hope, that their time out of the workforce makes employers pass over them automatically. In a nation that puts up so many barriers for those coming out of prisons, a nation that has to petition employers to hire veterans coming back from war, a nation whose sky-rocketing cost of education puts it out of reach for a growing percentage of the population--people who desperately need new skills in order to be marketable, the term "want" is a huge over-generalization. <br />
<br />
While there are legitimate concerns presented in <i>The Price of Prosperity,</i> and I'm glad I read it for a view point that doesn't necessarily align perfectly with my own, it reinforces for me the fact that we're neglecting vital realities that exist in our nation. For Buchholz to make the statement, "When rich nations begin to shatter, everyone has a comfy bed--but fewer people have a reason to get out of it," I know he's neglecting realities and his credibility is, therefore, destroyed. I believe in the United States. I'm not lining up to relinquish my citizenship. But I do not believe <i>The Price of Prosperity</i> holds the answers to the problems that plague us. For that, we'll have to look elsewhere.<br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27161205-the-price-of-prosperity"><img src="http://tlcbooktours.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Add-to-Goodreads-badge.png" height="30" width="95" /></a></div>
<br />
<i>The Price of Prosperity</i> is available in hardcover from Harper (ISBN: 9780062405708). It is also available as an unabridged audiobook (ISBN: 9781522690788) from Brilliance, narrated by Buchholz.
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<br />
My review today is part of the <a href="http://tlcbooktours.com/" target="_blank">TLC</a> book tour for <i><a href="http://tlcbooktours.com/2016/06/todd-g-buchholz-author-of-the-price-of-prosperity-on-tour-july-2016/" target="_blank">The Price of Prosperity</a></i>. Check the <a href="http://tlcbooktours.com/2016/06/todd-g-buchholz-author-of-the-price-of-prosperity-on-tour-july-2016/" target="_blank">schedule</a> to see how other bloggers are responding to Todd Buchholz's solution to our country's prosperity problems.<br />
<br />
<div style="line-height: 12px;">
<span style="font-size: 10px;"><b>Disclosure:</b> I do some contractual
work for one of the owners of TLC Blog Tours. My work with them does not obligate me to a specific kind of review.
The reviews are still my own opinions and reflect only my thoughts on
the novels. If you care to read more, you can find more information on
my <b><a href="http://www.jensbookthoughts.com/p/blog-page.html" target="_blank">Disclosure page</a></b>.</span></div>
Jen Forbushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13325129568512353951noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744617748983786106.post-22753428138804671322016-06-24T12:50:00.001-04:002016-06-24T12:50:37.406-04:00Where Jen's Book Thoughts Readers are Reading<span style="font-size: x-large;">H</span>appy Friday, friends. I'm getting a bit of a late start after taking my dog, Rufus, on a hike this morning. It's a gorgeous day here in Northeast Ohio. I hope it is where ever you are, too.<br />
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I have a couple items to share before we get to today's special guest. It's almost the end of June now and I have been very remiss about Audiobook Month. So I'll share my review for AudioFile of a book called <a href="http://audiofilemagazine.com/reviews/read/114840/" target="_blank"><i>Lily and the Octopus</i></a>. This one made me laugh and cry. I would recommend not listening to it on public transportation. Another outstanding--and earphone award winner--that I reviewed recently is Walter Mosley's <a href="http://audiofilemagazine.com/reviews/read/114603/charcoal-joe-by-walter-mosley/" target="_blank"><i>Charcoal Joe</i></a>.<br />
<br />
And if you follow the blog's Facebook page, you may have seen me post about <a href="https://throwingchanclas.com/2016/06/07/just-one-book/" target="_blank">this</a> there, but a small school district that doesn't have a library is looking to rebuild and they're in need of donations. If you have some books you can share, they'd be most appreciative.<br />
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O.k. on to the fun stuff! Today's special guest is Deborah Ruth from Cincinnati. I have welcomed guests that I've known for some time in this series, but it's been the greatest treat to meet some folks I haven't connected with before. And this is the case with Deborah. So color me tickled today! Here's what she has to say about her fab photo she sent:<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
I am at the University of Cincinnati outside McMicken Hall with the two
lions, Mick and Mack. I'm almost 64 now, and I know there exists a
photo of me as a toddler with Mick and Mack. I'm in the senior audit
program there which allows seniors aged 60 plus to audit classes for
free. What fun! I always carry my kindle with novels, like Iris
Johansen's <i>Shadow Play</i>, which I just downloaded. </blockquote>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigQtWZnmEKDWi8NOuFeb96-YzoewN8KGIqdgFhg78N-3FiYh4Vebi3ERwdoGGC7QSaF8uw10-bn0qGnObcSMLV0ho4qb9x4kMM6ECUZbVCAf31xf0mXguKYSMyRWX_5YT5iIf54A2DfnNT/s1600/26965169442_a68b0cc8c4_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigQtWZnmEKDWi8NOuFeb96-YzoewN8KGIqdgFhg78N-3FiYh4Vebi3ERwdoGGC7QSaF8uw10-bn0qGnObcSMLV0ho4qb9x4kMM6ECUZbVCAf31xf0mXguKYSMyRWX_5YT5iIf54A2DfnNT/s400/26965169442_a68b0cc8c4_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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A woman after my own heart! Learning and books...lifelong loves. Deborah, thank you so much for participating. I'm over the moon to "meet" you and am so happy to feature you today. The next time I'm traveling down your way, I'll give you a buzz and maybe we can meet in person. Hope you enjoyed <i>Shadow Play</i>!<br />
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Thanks all for stopping by and meeting Deborah. Hope you have a fantastic weekend filled with sunshine and great reads. Happy reading!Jen Forbushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13325129568512353951noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744617748983786106.post-75334327801922495092016-06-20T03:00:00.000-04:002016-06-20T03:00:12.734-04:00The Second Life of Nick Mason - Steve Hamilton<span style="font-size: x-large;">H</span>i my book-loving friends. Sorry for another lull in the blog posts, so much summer wonderfulness is going on...and today's is just now the first day of summer. ;-) Hopefully soon I'll have some exciting news to share, but for now, I have a review to share. My review of <a href="http://authorstevehamilton.com/" target="_blank">Steve Hamilton's</a> <a href="http://shelf-awareness.com/readers-issue.html?issue=510#m8916" target="_blank"><i>The Second Life of Nick Mason</i></a> first appeared as a starred review in <a href="http://shelf-awareness.com/readers-issue.html" target="_blank">Shelf Awareness for Readers</a>. I am posting it today with their permission. Hope you enjoy.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCY2yVeEASK4zKjmL_EBItjBURICcaqaEy31Zfc9i_9yzKCM5oPreKFVy18eenDgLUbJiwH64PocfY04BND_HRIBGEoxmM-EUfr1Z13YbEA_65nBkNo6SB8iyQXNDaLH8DoyK6-bAb_xTh/s1600/nick-mason.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCY2yVeEASK4zKjmL_EBItjBURICcaqaEy31Zfc9i_9yzKCM5oPreKFVy18eenDgLUbJiwH64PocfY04BND_HRIBGEoxmM-EUfr1Z13YbEA_65nBkNo6SB8iyQXNDaLH8DoyK6-bAb_xTh/s320/nick-mason.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>First line:</b> "Nick Mason's freedom lasted less than a minute." </blockquote>
<br />
In a stark departure from his Alex McKnight novels, Steve Hamilton kicks off an impressive new series featuring Nick Mason, a former car thief from Chicago who tries to go straight for the sake of his family but winds up in prison for a murder he didn't commit. Now Mason is sitting in Terre Haute Penitentiary for 25 years to life. He learns the ropes of general population, doesn't make unnecessary waves, but also doesn't let anyone get the better of him. Then everything changes when Darius Cole summons Mason to the Secure Housing Unit.
<br />
<br />
Cole is the powerful head of a Chicago criminal enterprise in federal prison on a RICO conviction. Despite being locked up, his reach extends far beyond the walls of USP Terre Haute, and he's offering Mason a deal. Cole will arrange for Mason's conviction to be overturned, his slate wiped clean. In exchange, Mason works for Cole for the remaining 20 years of his original sentence.
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<br />
The desire to return to his wife and daughter convinces Mason to trade his soul to the devil. But when the reality of his deal finally becomes clear, Mason discovers he may have put himself and his family in the worst danger possible.
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<br />
<i>The Second Life of Nick Mason</i> is a new chapter in Hamilton's career, and it's intensely exciting. The concept is fresh, the action is heart pounding and Nick Mason is a solid protagonist. His halo is tarnished and his intentions are gold. Readers will connect with him and clamor for his return.
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<br />
The Second Life of Nick Mason is available in hardcover (ISBN: 9780399574320) from Putnam and as an unabridged audiobook (ISBN: 9780451483546), narrated by the wonderful Ray Porter, from Penguin Audio. You can find a copy at your favorite independent bookstore or any of these online retailers:
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Jen Forbushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13325129568512353951noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744617748983786106.post-74744369474540301632016-06-06T00:44:00.001-04:002016-06-06T00:44:34.475-04:00Property of the State - Bill Cameron<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>First line:</b> "'Joseph. Don't sit down.'"</blockquote>
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Veteran crime fiction writer <a href="http://www.bill-cameron.com/" target="_blank">Bill Cameron</a> makes a stunning entry into the world of YA fiction with <i>Property of the State</i>, the first book in his Legend of Joey series. Joey Getchie is a foster child biding his time in the system until he can emancipate himself. As with many fosters, Joey's been bounced from family to family. Currently he's tolerating the Bobbitt family in order to attend Katz, an elite magnet school in Portland, Oregon, but he is coming to the end of his rope with his foster father who uses Joey's school computer to surf porn and his foster mother who is addicted to prescription pain killers. He's keeping his eye on the prize--early graduation--in order to make it through.<br />
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Joey's good friend Trisha is also a foster kid, but she's been with her family more long-term. However, Trisha's foster father has made it clear to Joey that he feels Joey is a bad influence and doesn't want him around. So Joey and Trisha see each other at school and their favorite coffee house, Uncommon Cup. <br />
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Joey's plan for early graduation and emancipation is threatened, though, when Joey and his foster father get into a physical altercation. Joey walks out and Wayne Bobbitt changes the locks. In a desperate attempt to hide the current situation from his social worker, Joey begins hiding out at the Huntzel Manor, the home of his classmate Philip Huntzel. Joey has a job cleaning for Mrs. Huntzel four days a week after school. He knows that one room is never accessed by anyone in the family--Kristina's room--so he hunkers down there and slips in and out of the house to attend school.<br />
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Joey's plan gets another jolt when his classmate Duncan is hit by a car and fighting for his life in the hospital. The police are looking for the driver of the car and their investigation takes them to Katz, and to Joey.<br />
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<i>Property of the State</i> is a YA novel that will keep readers of all ages engaged and enthralled. The characters are fully realized, dimensional, complex and fun. The story line is suspenseful, including strong plot twists and a mystery sure to keep readers guessing.<br />
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Cameron's humor is a bonus in this strong series starter. Joey, being an exceptionally smart teen, excels at the art of sarcasm. And his descriptions of riding in his social worker's car or meeting with his therapist are priceless. But Joey is also a typical young boy, baffled by and bumbling over his growing attraction for Trisha.<br />
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As an older reader, I found Joey endearing. His desperate need for solitude and quiet in his world of constant chaos, his desire to do the right thing--even when the universe seems to be conspiring against him--make him an empathetic character.<br />
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I'm ready to hand off <i>Property of the State</i> to my niece so she can read it and we can talk about it together. And then we'll both be eagerly anticipating the next Legend of Joey book.<br />
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<i>Property of the State</i> is available tomorrow in trade paperback (ISBN: 9781929345229) from The Poisoned Pencil. You can find it at your favorite independent bookstore or any of the following online retailers:
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Jen Forbushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13325129568512353951noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744617748983786106.post-77189913059366088252016-06-03T10:11:00.000-04:002016-06-03T10:11:05.099-04:00Where Jen's Book Thoughts' Readers Are Reading<span style="font-size: x-large;">H</span>appy first Friday of June everyone! I hope the new month is off to a great start for you. I have sunshine and a bird singing outside my window now. *happiness*<br />
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I started a very large book about Bobby Kennedy last night and have been listening to Rick Bragg's Ava's Man on audiobook. If you're looking for something to sing to you, wow is Bragg incredible!<br />
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But let's get on to today's featured reader. <a href="http://juliehyzy.com/" target="_blank">Julie Hyzy</a> is no stranger to the blog and I look forward to every opportunity that I can see her in person. What a fantastic woman! And so much fun. She was a great sport on my Liar, Liar panel at Murder & Mayhem in Muskego. :-) Plus, she's the New York Times bestselling author of the <a href="http://juliehyzy.com/chef.html" target="_blank">White House Chef</a> mystery series and the <a href="http://juliehyzy.com/manor.html" target="_blank">Manor House</a> mystery series as well as some <a href="http://juliehyzy.com/ebooks.html" target="_blank">suspense novels</a> she's published as N.C. Hyzy. If you should meet up with her at a book event or conference, be sure to introduce yourself. She's warm and friendly and a blast. She saves her killing for the pages. ;-) If you can't meet up with her in person, connect with her on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/julie.hyzy" target="_blank">Facebook</a> or <a href="https://twitter.com/juliehyzy" target="_blank">Twitter</a>.<br />
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In the meantime, like many of us in the Northeast, Julie was excited to be able to get outside. Here is her contribution to Where Jen's Book Thoughts' Readers Are Reading:<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
This was taken at Zabrocki Park, a small gathering spot in Tinley Park. Named for a former mayor, it's a lovely place to read. This is where our village hosts Music in the Park, and where we come every week in the summer for our Farmer's Market. You can see the tower of our Metra commuter station behind me.
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I'm reading Duane Swierczynski's <i>Canary</i> in the photo. Loved the book! Fun, exciting, with a lot of real warmth. Have you read it? If not, I highly recommend it! </blockquote>
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Thanks to Julie for giving us a glimpse of where she's reading...among other great things. I want to go visit the farmer's market! I adore this fun woman and hope you've enjoyed her visit, too. Remember to introduce yourself if you talk to her. And give her a hug from me as well. Have a great weekend, friends. Happy reading! Jen Forbushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13325129568512353951noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744617748983786106.post-11813786027117537232016-05-27T08:22:00.002-04:002016-05-27T08:22:56.545-04:00Where Jen's Book Thoughts' Readers are Reading<span style="font-size: x-large;">H</span>appy Friday everyone! For those who are observing it, happy Memorial Day weekend. I hope everyone has a nice book or two to enjoy this weekend.<br />
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Today I'm excited to welcome a friend to the blog for Where Jen's Book Thoughts' Readers are Reading. And again, I owe my friendship with her to the blog. So many connections made through this funny phenomenon.<br />
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Sarah White also sent me her picture during the winter months, but it's a bit different from last week's. ;-)<br />
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Coming to us from Florida, Sarah says this is her favorite place to read.<br />
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As a post script she told me, "I moved here for a reason in 1984. Record blizzard in DC, when it thawed I left." I think I know that feeling well.<br />
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Have a fabulous weekend everyone, no matter WHERE you are reading!Jen Forbushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13325129568512353951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744617748983786106.post-3048260042210783662016-05-24T03:00:00.000-04:002016-05-24T03:00:09.380-04:00King Maybe - Timothy Hallinan<span style="font-size: x-large;">M</span>y review of Tim Hallinan's <a href="http://shelf-awareness.com/readers-issue.html?issue=500#m8738" target="_blank"><i>King Maybe</i></a> first appeared as a starred review in <a href="http://shelf-awareness.com/readers-issue.html" target="_blank">Shelf Awareness for Readers</a>. I am posting it today with their permission. Hope you enjoy.<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>First line:</b> "Bad luck, as my mentor and surrogate father, Herbie Mott, used to say, arrives on the wind."</blockquote>
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In the fifth book of Timothy Hallinan's caper series, Junior Bender is having a run of bad luck. "If--as some ironic people used to say as they flashed air quotes--life was a box of chocolates, someone had sat on the box." First, the Los Angeles burglar finds himself trapped during a burglary by two goons determined to ensure he doesn't make it out of the house alive. Some fancy footwork and quick thinking help him evade the goons but not the hot water.
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Hollywood has-been producer Jake Whelan harbors a beef with Junior. In order to set things straight, he demands Junior break into the office of King Maybe, the studio exec who makes or breaks people in Tinseltown. But when the seemingly easy job is turned on its head, King Maybe might just break Junior.
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To top it all off, Junior's daughter has boy trouble and he's on the outs with his girlfriend, Ronnie. Part burglar, part cupid, Junior will have to up his game if he has any hope of making it through the week alive.
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Timothy Hallinan is an incredibly gifted writer with a knack for blending vivid settings, exciting plots, dynamic characters and clever humor to create captivatingly complex stories. King Maybe exemplifies all of this. From his sensory-stimulating description of a low-rent hotel room to the insightful development of Junior and Ronnie's relationship, Hallinan's writing is so distinctive and refreshingly original, it would probably be fitting to crown him the caper king.
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25937722-king-maybe"><img src="http://tlcbooktours.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Add-to-Goodreads-badge.png" height="30" width="95" /></a></div>
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<i>King Maybe</i> is available in hardcover (ISBN: 9781616954321) from SoHo Crime and as an unabridged audiobook (ISBN: 9781504616669), narrated by the wonderful Peter Berkrot from Blackstone Audio.<br />
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<a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/King-Maybe/9781616954321" target="_blank"><img alt="Book Depository" border="1" src="http://xuni.com/jen/book-depository-20h-78.gif" height="24" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;" width="94" /></a> <a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=DthARBMxI3I&subid=&offerid=316894.1&type=10&tmpid=12385&RD_PARM1=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.downpour.com%2Fcatalog%2Fproduct%2Fview%2Fid%2F220972" target="_blank"><img alt="Downpour" border="1" src="http://xuni.com/jen/downpour-24h-75.gif" height="24" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;" width="75" /></a> <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/king-maybe/id1023200010?mt=11" target="_blank"><img alt="iTunes" border="1" src="http://xuni.com/jen/ibooks-24h-66.png" height="24" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;" width="66" /></a> <a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=DthARBMxI3I&subid=&offerid=361251.1&type=10&tmpid=9310&RD_PARM1=https%3A%2F%2Fstore.kobobooks.com%2Fen-us%2Febook%2Fking-maybe" target="_blank"><img alt="Kobo" border="1" src="http://xuni.com/jen/kobo-24h-73.png" height="24" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;" width="73" /></a></div>
Jen Forbushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13325129568512353951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744617748983786106.post-59738129053889092712016-05-20T03:00:00.000-04:002016-05-20T03:00:05.322-04:00Where Jen's Book Thoughts' Readers are Reading<span style="font-size: x-large;">H</span>appy Friday friends! We're supposed to have a rather lovely day today and I'm tickled pink at our forecast for the next week. Lots of sunshines and warm temperatures showing on my weather app. I hope it's just as nice in your corner of the world as well.<br />
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I'm also hoping my reading improves a little along with the weather. I've had a run of luke-warm reads (and listens) lately, which has been disappointing. What are you reading that's good?<br />
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Last week, as many of you know, I headed out to Chicago for my interview with Fredrik Backman at Anderson's Bookshop. (It was wonderful; he was wonderful; it's all going in my Book of Amazing.) I stopped in to BEA for a few hours on Wednesday and was hoping to see today's featured reader, but alas--no such luck. "Beth Fish" blogs at <a href="http://www.bethfishreads.com/" target="_blank">Beth Fish Reads</a>, she's also a fellow audiobook reviewer at <i>AudioFile</i>. In fact, she was this year's Audio Publishers Association Book Blogger of the Year! I don't think the APA could have made a better choice. So it gives me tremendous pleasure to welcome her to Jen's Book Thoughts today.<br />
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And since I'm so far behind, the snow in her picture doesn't look quite so cold now. ;-)<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
I live in small-town central PA -- outdoor living whenever possible. </blockquote>
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Many thanks to BFR. I know what an outdoorsy person she is since I follow her <a href="https://www.instagram.com/bethfishreads/?ref=badge" target="_blank">Instagram feed</a> that includes so many wonderful nature pictures, so this is such a fitting picture of her.<br />
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Hope everyone has a fantastic weekend. Happy Reading!Jen Forbushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13325129568512353951noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744617748983786106.post-1363068837857236482016-05-19T03:00:00.000-04:002016-05-19T03:00:01.189-04:00Lies, Incorporated - Ari Rabin-Havt<span style="font-size: x-large;">I</span>'ve been a bit remiss in getting my Shelf Awareness reviews posted lately, so I'm going to try to have a run of them here and catch up. Today's review is <a href="http://shelf-awareness.com/readers-issue.html?issue=500#m8739" target="_blank"><i>Lies, Incorporated: The World of Post-Truth Politics</i></a> and it first appeared in <a href="http://shelf-awareness.com/readers-issue.html" target="_blank">Shelf Awareness for Readers</a>. I am posting it today with their permission. A very good read for this political season.<br />
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<b>First line:</b> "Richard Berman is a liar."<br />
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While researching <i>The Fox Effect</i>, <i>The Agenda</i> radio host, Ari Rabin-Havt continually questioned where lies and propaganda filtering through the controversial news network were originating. As he points out, "Lies do not simply appear and take hold. They must be developed, introduced, and nurtured into the public discourse." Rabin-Havt's research into various falsehoods indicated the existence of a profitable industry doing just that on behalf of those willing to pay for it. He called this business Lies, Incorporated. Bestowing the name on his book, Rabin-Havt examines the origins of some of the most significant deceptions muddying the current political waters.
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Through meticulous examinations of issues such as climate change, immigration reform, gun control and others--issues where scientists and other researchers have publicly debunked the lies preventing progress, yet they continue to cling to the important conversations and debates--Rabin-Havt theorizes Lies, Incorporated is a result of "a political culture where ideological victory, not progress, is the ultimate goal. Where what is good for my country plays second fiddle to what is good for the bottom line of my clients."
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Well-researched and documented, <i>Lies, Incorporated</i> presents hot button topics with diplomacy and tact. It won't likely convince every reader to relinquish the stronghold on their ideologies--Rabin-Havt himself says, "it is far easier to ignore the truth than to confront the failure of your argument"--but it is convincing motivation to closely scrutinize the evidence on which one bases their beliefs and hold the political media accountable for reporting practices.
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26236717-lies-incorporated"><img src="http://tlcbooktours.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Add-to-Goodreads-badge.png" height="30" width="95" /></a></div>
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<i>Lies, Incorporated</i> is available in trade paperback (ISBN: 9780307279590) from Anchor Books and as an unabridged audiobook (ISBN: 9781515956334), narrated by Mike Chamberlain from Tantor Audio.<br />
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Jen Forbushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13325129568512353951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744617748983786106.post-76704548595158723522016-05-16T03:00:00.000-04:002016-05-16T03:00:30.918-04:00The Highwayman - Craig Johnson<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>First line:</b> "There is a canyon in the heart of Wyoming carved by a river called Wind and a narrow, opposing, two-lane highway that follows its every curve like a lover."</blockquote>
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The next full-length Walt Longmire novel doesn't come out until September, so for those like me who are impatient for their Absaroka County fix, <i>The Highwayman</i> is here to appease. Craig Johnson's second novella is a ghost story of sorts set in the Wind River Canyon.<br />
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Wyoming Highway Patrolman Rosey Wayman has recently been assigned to the night shift in Wind River Canyon. The canyon, coupled with two tunnels, makes radio reception tricky in her beat, but Rosey starts hearing 10-78 calls at 12:34 a.m. 10-78 calls--officer needs assistance--at the exact time Bobby Womack, a former patrolman, met his death in that same canyon nearly fifty years earlier. In fact, the calls seem to be coming from Bobby.<br />
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In addition to the calls, Rosey finds two rare silver dollars believed to be from a cache stolen just before Bobby Womack died. There were rumors he was in on the theft. The rumors were never confirmed by they tainted Womack's legacy nonetheless.<br />
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Rosey's supervisor pulls patrol with her a couple of times to try to hear the radio calls, but there's only silence when he's present. So Walt and Henry head over to Wind River Canyon to spend a few nights with the young officer. If they can't discover anything, Walt has to talk Rosey into seeing someone for psychiatric help.<br />
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Walt's adventures will never be as easy as a trip to the shrink, and <i>The Highwayman</i> proves that once again. This little gem of a read is all that makes the Walt Longmire series wonderful packed neatly into 190 pages. The breath-taking Wyoming setting, painted in Craig Johnson's stunning wide strokes of beauty and danger co-existing on the same palette, provides a fitting backdrop for the ghostly plot. A handful of new and delightfully entertaining characters step into the roles since Walt is on the road for these exploits. All would be welcome additions to the series if they happen to show up again in the future.<br />
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And of course, a book could not carry the Walt Longmire name without crackling dialogue full of wickedly smart humor and touching insights into human nature. Walt, himself, is a gem in this genre, and it's a special treat to be able to visit with him two times this year. While I understand the appeal of the television series and am beyond tickled that it has introduced many people to this sterling series, no screen version can even begin to compare to the world that comes alive on Craig Johnson's pages. It's as rare as the Hot Lips Morgan silver dollars and will make you feel just as rich to possess it in your imagination.<br />
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<i>The Highwayman</i> is available tomorrow in hardcover from Viking Penguin (ISBN: 9780735220898) and as an unabridged audiobook, narrated by the unparalleled George Guidall, from Recorded Books (9781501928529). You can find a copy at your favorite independent bookstore or at any of these online retailers:<br />
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Jen Forbushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13325129568512353951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744617748983786106.post-52449662680935133072016-05-09T01:20:00.001-04:002016-05-09T01:20:54.728-04:00Father's Day - Simon Van Booy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>First sentence:</b> "Harvey was born in a redbrick hospital on a hill."</blockquote>
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Even though yesterday was Mother's Day, today I'm writing about Simon Van Booy's newest novel, <i>Father's Day</i>. In this heart-warming tale about what defines a father, six-year-old Harvey loses her parents in a car accident and goes to live with her uncle--her father's estranged older brother, Jason. Their story is told through a series of flashbacks during Jason's Father's Day visit to Paris, where an adult Harvey now lives. Harvey has created a Father's Day box for Jason containing a series of symbolic gifts. Each day Jason removes one of the gifts and opens it during their travels around the scenic city. The unveiling of the gifts are interspersed with flashbacks explaining the significance of the gift in relation to Harvey and Jason's relationship. All of the gifts lead up to mysterious revelation Harvey plans to make to her father.<br />
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Jason is a ex-con and a recovering alcoholic with an anger management problem when Harvey comes to live with him. He's disabled from a motorcycle accident and supplements his government assistance by selling things on eBay. Harvey's social worker, Wanda, has a gut feeling that despite these problematic characteristics, he's the ideal placement for Harvey. A veteran of the Children's Services Department, she manipulates the system in order to finagle Jason a trial period as Harvey's guardian, and ultimately the adoption is finalized.<br />
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The pair never have a lot, but together they possess everything they truly need and make a complete family. As much as Jason teaches Harvey about life, she reciprocates. They save each other.<br />
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Van Booy's stark style makes every sentence burst in this beautiful novel about the value of families, whatever form they take. Jason and Harvey's life together mirrors that spartan style. Jason can't give Harvey a lot of material possessions, grand vacations or elaborate experiences, but she treasures everything they have. He regularly sacrifices for her and she understands the value, seeing the beauty and vulnerability beneath Jason's harsh exterior.<br />
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Harvey's voice as a child is as authentic and endearing as Jason's frustrated, adult perspective is empathetic. Van Booy drives home the importance of redemption, even in those society would consider beyond it. Sometimes we need to see those people through the eyes of a child, someone who hasn't learned biases, judgements and most importantly how to hold grudges. <br />
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Early in the novel, when Jason is remembering his younger brother--Harvey's first father--Van Booy says, "He considered how memories hold our lives in place but weigh nothing and cannot be seen or touched." The memories in this charming novel hold the lives of Jason and Harvey in place and they hold the readers captive. Harvey's surprise for Jason at the novel's conclusion may not be a surprise for all readers, but it doesn't diminish the powerful theme behind the novel: a father isn't defined by DNA and dad's don't have to be perfect. The best ones are simply present, making those memories with their children.<br />
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<i>Father's Day</i> is available from Harper in hardcover (ISBN: 9780062408945) It's also available as an unabridged audiobook download, narrated by Bronson Pinchot, from Harper Audio.
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My review today is part of the <a href="http://tlcbooktours.com/" target="_blank">TLC</a> book tour for <i><a href="http://tlcbooktours.com/2016/04/simon-van-booy-author-of-fathers-day-on-tour-aprilmay-2016/" target="_blank">Father's Day</a></i>. Check the <a href="http://tlcbooktours.com/2016/04/simon-van-booy-author-of-fathers-day-on-tour-aprilmay-2016/" target="_blank">schedule</a> to see what other bloggers are saying about Simon Van Booy's newest novel.<br />
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<div style="line-height: 12px;">
<span style="font-size: 10px;"><b>Disclosure:</b> I do some contractual
work for one of the owners of TLC Blog Tours. My work with them does not obligate me to a specific kind of review.
The reviews are still my own opinions and reflect only my thoughts on
the novels. If you care to read more, you can find more information on
my <b><a href="http://www.jensbookthoughts.com/p/blog-page.html" target="_blank">Disclosure page</a></b>.</span></div>
Jen Forbushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13325129568512353951noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744617748983786106.post-78877295293947119972016-05-06T03:00:00.000-04:002016-05-06T03:00:26.787-04:00Where Jen's Book Thoughts' Readers Are Reading<span style="font-size: x-large;">G</span>etting back on track here we have some more readers to spotlight in the coming Fridays! And my inbox is still open for any of you who would still like to <a href="http://www.jensbookthoughts.com/2016/01/where-you-read.html">send a picture</a>. You don't have to be fancy or extravagant. Just have fun. <br />
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I was so delighted to receive this picture from my good friend Theresa. She was around at the advent of Jen's Book Thoughts--we worked together at Foundation Software. She still does and I've changed jobs twice, but we still manage to keep in touch and get together every once in awhile. My heart smiled when I opened her email with her picture, showing her in Parma, Ohio. Please help me celebrate Theresa today!<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
I just started reading <i>Dangerous Habits</i>. It’s a Leah Nash Mystery by Susan Hunter. This is the first book I’ve read by her and so far I like her writing style.
I love getting books on my ipad. Now I can carry a bunch of books with me wherever I go.</blockquote>
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Jen Forbushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13325129568512353951noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744617748983786106.post-91752336904637653162016-05-05T03:00:00.000-04:002016-05-05T03:00:15.691-04:00Broken Ground - Karen Halvorsen Schreck<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>First line:</b> "Charlie wakes me as he rises, mattress springs creaking beneath his long limbs."</blockquote>
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In the midst of the Depression, newlyweds, Ruth and Charlie Warren, find joy amid the simple things in life—especially each other. Charlie has a job on the Texas oil rigs, and Ruth is making a home for them: "<i>Monday, Wash. Tuesday, Iron. Wednesday, Clean.</i> Etc." It's modest, but the childhood sweethearts are living on love. Until the day the settlement rumbles and shakes; "there's a sound like [Ruth's] never heard before—a sound like trains colliding. [Their] little camp-town tent house shifts, the sofa lurches, the window rattles."<br />
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In a devastating and instantaneous turns of events, Ruth finds herself a widow. A blowout on the rig where Charlie was working steals Ruth's universe out from under her. Ruth's parents come and help her--dazed and mourning--to move back to her small Oklahoma hometown of Alba. When the stinging blow starts to dull, Ruth's mentor informs her she was accepted on a full scholarship to Union College in Pasadena.<br />
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Against her father's demands, Ruth packs up and heads west so she can study to be a teacher. After marrying Charlie, teaching was her life's dream. But like Charlie, this dream is torn away from her. Determined not to slink back to Oklahoma, Ruth turns to a friend who works with Mexican migrant farmhands near Los Angeles.<br />
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She may not have finished her teaching program at Union, but Ruth begins educating the camp's children. Here she discovers fulfillment and friendship and herself. But she also glimpses the horror of immigrant life in the 1930s, and Ruth realizes she can't just be a passive observer to the injustices surrounding her every day.<br />
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As Ruth moves from place to place in Halvorsen Schreck's atmospheric novel, she matures into the woman she's destine to become. Only 21 when her husband dies, she's still practically a child. Her naivete contributes to her downfall in school but she packs up that lesson along with the loss of her beloved Charlie and strengthens her determination. Her spirit and passion bring brilliant color to the dusty landscape she's traversing.<br />
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Halvorsen Schreck's stunning depiction of the landscape takes readers into the struggling depths of our country's Depression Era. From the scorching death smells of an oil rig blowout to the humorous image of Ruth trying to balance a laundry basket on her head to walk to the river, the period and the environment come alive, bursting with sounds and smells and sights of destitution, but also fortitude and conviction.<br />
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The issues surrounding the immigrants, sadly, are still relevant today. <i>Broken Ground</i> may be a historical novel, but its universal, timeless themes offer food for thought amid the inspiringly beautiful story of a young woman's journey into her adult self.<br />
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<i>Broken Ground</i> is available in trade paperback (ISBN: 9781476794839) from Howard Books. You can find a copy at your favorite independent bookstore or any of the following online retailers:<br />
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Jen Forbushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13325129568512353951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744617748983786106.post-65651296830109508372016-05-04T09:54:00.003-04:002016-05-04T09:54:57.817-04:00Quote of the Week<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The girl glances at the surface of the desk, which looks as if toddlers have been trying to eat potatoes off it. With pitchforks. In the dark.<br />
<i><b>--Fredrik Backman in Britt-Marie Was Here</b></i>
</blockquote>
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<br />Jen Forbushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13325129568512353951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744617748983786106.post-21581200230781302732016-05-02T03:00:00.000-04:002016-05-02T03:00:30.769-04:00Mission Hill - Pamela Wechsler<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3WSWQzctVazmjOhYgldCgwBpM2D22AqXauizMyJqNMlVC1GU_AhRp-3g6Q90YsqMxIw65tNkL85K5yhf1iDptHAbc5DAN-LKFJMxNjx5sbV9NlD3P70ZIUtGojTGiZBsst_X2Fi3Az676/s1600/mission-hill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3WSWQzctVazmjOhYgldCgwBpM2D22AqXauizMyJqNMlVC1GU_AhRp-3g6Q90YsqMxIw65tNkL85K5yhf1iDptHAbc5DAN-LKFJMxNjx5sbV9NlD3P70ZIUtGojTGiZBsst_X2Fi3Az676/s320/mission-hill.jpg" width="217" /></a></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>First line:</b> "I'm in bed, silently reciting their names."</blockquote>
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Abby Endicott is the chief of the Boston District Attorney's Homicide Unit. Coming from a wealthy family, Abby isn't the typical ADA. She wears designer clothes, drives a Prius and lives in a posh apartment. Her family regularly hounds her to leave the DA's office and find a job that's a little more upscale, a little less dangerous. But Abby loves her job; it's the center of her universe and she has no intention of going anywhere.<br />
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Abby's cases haunt her nightly. Instead of counting sheep she counts the people she's prosecuted for murder. The gruesome and terrible ways people have snuffed out the lives of others. Despite the four years of cases--26 murderers--she's completely unprepared for the case that summons her at three in the morning. A fellow ADA is the victim; his body is found at tow lot, conjuring up questions about what he was doing there in the middle of the night.<br />
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But the victim's murder is the police's case right now. This heinous assault on the ADA's office leaves Abby with a high-profile case the victim was preparing to take to trial, a case that Abby has personal ties to. Despite her history with the victim, the judge allows Abby to take over the prosecution. As she puts her case together, the police investigate her colleague's murder and the two start to cross paths. Abby's determined to put her accused murderer behind bars, but her doggedness may put her in the morgue instead.<br />
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<a href="http://www.pamelawechsler.com/" target="_blank">Pamela Wechsler's</a> debut novel conjures up hints of Linda Fairstein's Alex Cooper with her financially secure ADA protagonist. She also has hints of Alafair Burke's Samantha Kincaid with her gutsy, no-nonsense female homicide prosecutor. But Wechsler offers her own contributions to the genre as well. Abby's personal baggage is integrated into this first novel, adding dimension and flavor to her character. Her boyfriend, Ty, and a detective colleague, Kevin, provide avenues for development of Abby as well as being strong, interesting supporting characters. All of these aspects leave opportunities for Wechsler to continue the growth in Abby's character in subsequent additions to the series.<br />
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While the plot's case isn't anchored to Boston, Wechsler does develop the city's setting throughout the novel, as well as provide an insider's view of courtroom procedure. The pace of the novel is swift and the suspense is maintained throughout. <i>Mission Hill</i> adds a fascinating new female protagonist to the genre and gives legal thriller fans a new series to enjoy. <br />
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<i>Mission Hill</i> is available starting tomorrow in hardcover from Minotaur (ISBN: 9781466887138). It is also available as a unabridged audio download from Recorded Books, narrated by Morgan Hallett. You can find a copy at your favorite independent bookstore or any of the following online retailers:<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=DthARBMxI3I&subid=&offerid=189673.1&type=10&tmpid=939&RD_PARM1=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.alibris.com%2FMission-Hill-Pamela-Wechsler%2Fbook%2F33599477%3Fmatches%3D5" target="_blank"><img alt="Alibris" border="1" src="http://xuni.com/jen/alibris-24h-95.gif" height="24" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;" width="95" /></a> <a href="http://amzn.to/1pWo3QZ" target="_blank"><img alt="Amazon" border="1" src="http://xuni.com/jen/amazon-24h-80.gif" height="24" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;" width="80" /></a> <a href="http://amzn.to/1Z1BDP8" target="_blank"><img alt="Audible" border="1" src="http://xuni.com/jen/audible-24h-73.gif" height="24" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;" width="73" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.bookdepository.com/Mission-Hill/9781250075697" target="_blank"><img alt="Book Depository" border="1" src="http://xuni.com/jen/book-depository-20h-78.gif" height="24" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;" width="94" /></a> <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/mission-hill/id1048573351?mt=11" target="_blank"><img alt="iTunes" border="1" src="http://xuni.com/jen/ibooks-24h-66.png" height="24" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;" width="66" /></a> <a href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=DthARBMxI3I&subid=&offerid=361251.1&type=10&tmpid=9310&RD_PARM1=https%3A%2F%2Fstore.kobobooks.com%2Fen-us%2Febook%2Fmission-hill" target="_blank"><img alt="Kobo" border="1" src="http://xuni.com/jen/kobo-24h-73.png" height="24" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;" width="73" /></a></div>
Jen Forbushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13325129568512353951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744617748983786106.post-37686843076344171542016-04-27T03:00:00.000-04:002016-04-27T03:00:10.680-04:00Chatting with debut author Pamela Wechsler<span style="font-size: x-large;">A</span>s I promised yesterday, I'm talking with debut novelist <a href="http://www.pamelawechsler.com/" target="_blank">Pamela Wechsler</a> today. Pam is a former criminal prosecutor who has worked in both Boston and Washington D.C. When she took a break from the real courtroom, she started working on fictional courtrooms--Hollywood-style courtrooms. She's been a <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2040540/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1" target="_blank">legal consultant and writer</a> for shows such as the <i>Law & Order</i> franchise, <i>Canterbury's Law</i> and <i>Conviction</i>. Next week launches her debut novel, <a href="http://amzn.to/24iHNho" target="_blank"><i>Mission Hill</i></a>, about a Boston ADA named Abby Endicott. I'll have my review of this exciting new legal thriller later this week, but today's let's chat with the author herself. Please help me welcome Pamela Wechsler.<br />
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<b>Q. What inspired you to pursue a legal career?</b>
<br />
PW: Even though I went to law school, I never really planned to practice law. In college, I
majored in political science because I knew that I wanted to serve my community in
some capacity. After graduation, I taught in the public schools and worked for a
neighborhood development agency. A few years later, I decided to go to back to school
and I thought that law school would open up the most options. During my third year of
law school, I visited a friend who worked in the district attorney’s office and I knew
immediately that was what I wanted to do.
<br />
<br />
<b>Q. You spent a lot of time in the legal profession, what sparked your interest in
fiction writing--both for the screen and now in books?</b>
<br />
PW: When I was working as a homicide prosecutor in Boston, I was contacted by a friend of a
friend, who was writing for a television show about a homicide prosecutor. I ended up
helping him with some of his scripts, and in the process, I learned a lot about television
writing. A few years later, when I was working for the Justice Department in DC, I
decided that it was time for a change. So, I studied the craft of television writing, wrote
my own spec script, and got an agent. I worked in Hollywood for seven years, consulting
and writing for a variety of legal dramas, including the Law and Order franchise.
Circumstances brought me back to Boston, and I rejoined a district attorney’s office. A
couple of years in, I got a call from producers from <i>The Judge</i>, a movie that was filming
in the area. They hired me to be their legal consultant. One day, I was on the set, when the
actor who played the role of the prosecutor, Billy Bob Thornton, suggested that I write a
novel. So, I signed up for workshops at Grub Street, studied the craft, and wrote the novel
that became MISSION HILL.
<br />
<br />
<b>Q. What do you miss the most about your job as a prosecutor? </b>
<br />
Prosecutors are constantly interacting with other people: detectives, victims, witnesses,
defense attorneys, judges, and juries. Writing a novel is a solitary pursuit. I can spend the
entire workday alone in my apartment without talking to anyone. That was a big
adjustment.
<br />
<br />
<b>Q. Your bio indicates you're consulting for TV now, are you still doing any writing or
are you writing strictly for the novels at this point?</b><br />
PW: I still consult for television shows, but only as a legal advisor. Right now, I’m working on
the second Abby Endicott novel.
<br />
<br />
<b>Q. How do the two writing formats compare?</b>
<br />
PW: They’re very different. Scriptwriting has rules about things like format and length, novels
do not. Scripts are much leaner; a one hour drama is about 60 pages long, MISSION
HILL is about 300 pages. Also, scripts are mostly dialogue, with little room for
description.
<br />
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<br />
<b>Q. When you started writing <i>Mission Hill</i>, what was the
biggest frustration for you transitioning to novel writing? And what was most
exciting or rewarding about this format?</b>
<br />
PW: I wouldn’t call it a frustration, but I did have to learn the craft. I signed up for workshops,
and did a lot of research about writing fiction. What I like most about writing novels, as
opposed to scripts, is that I can get inside my protagonist’s head and describe her private
thoughts. The only way to do that in a television script is through voiceover.
<br />
<br />
<b>Q. I once read that the CSI franchise was making trial work more challenging
because juries had unrealistic expectations for forensic evidence. Does something
like that influence the way you write? And how do you balance realism with the
demand for thrilling, dramatic suspense, especially in television?
</b><br />
PW: Like real detectives, TV detectives used to solve cases with shoe leather. They were out
on the street, chasing down witnesses and following leads. That still holds true, but they
also rely on science and technology. One of the reasons the CSI shows work so well is
that they combine all the elements of modern police work.
<br />
<br />
<b>Q. Is there a big pet peeve you've experienced in other books/TV/movies that you
would never put into your writing, even for the sake of the suspense?
</b><br />
PW: I hope that authenticity is one of the things that draw people to MISSION HILL. I try to
keep it as realist as possible. Still, I recognize that books and television shows are
entertainment, not documentaries, and a certain amount of dramatic license is allowed—
as long as the story is plausible.
<br />
<br />
<b>Q. Abby Endicott is your new protagonist. She's a prosecutor in Boston, as you once
were. How much of Abby's character comes from your own personality,
experiences, etc., and how much of Abby is purely from your imagination? </b><br />
PW: Abby and I are not one and the same in terms of personality or character. But many of the
plot lines are drawn from my own life experiences, both in and out of the courtroom.
<br />
<br />
<b>Q. So your personal experiences in law have been the basis your story ideas; do you harvest them from other sources as well?</b>
<br />
PW: I do both. I was a prosecutor for seventeen years, which gives me a deep well to draw
from. I am also constantly trolling the news for story ideas, and when I have time, I walk
over to the courthouse to see what’s going on.
<br />
<br />
<b>Q. You were recently a technical advisor on a TV movie called <i>Doubt</i> that deals with
a defense attorney, but your writing has focused on the prosecutorial side of the
courtroom. Any desire to write about the defense side?
</b><br />
PW: Sure, I’d love to write a series about a defense attorney.
<br />
<br />
<b>Q. Abby's boyfriend is a jazz musician. Is this your preferred genre of music? Do
you listen to it while you write?</b>
<br />
PW: I like a variety of music genres, including jazz. I don’t listen to music when I write,
unless I’m in a coffee shop.
<br />
<br />
I made Abby’s boyfriend a jazz musician because I wanted his career and personality to
be very different from hers. They are both successful, but she is hard-charging and
adrenalin-addicted, he is levelheaded and cool.
<br />
<br />
<b>Q. What would you say Abby's theme song would be?
</b><br />
PW: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5apEctKwiD8" target="_blank">Dirty Water by the Standells.</a>
<br />
<br />
<b>Q. A few years back I did a blog feature series based on the book <i>Not Quite What I
Was Planning: Six-Word Memoirs from Writers Famous and Obscure</i>. I asked
authors what their six-word memoir would be, so I'll end with that question for
you.
</b><br />
PW: Does this thing come with directions?<br />
<br />
Many thanks to Pam for taking time to chat with me today and share a little insight into her road to publishing and her debut novel, <i>Mission Hill</i>. Pam is on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pamelawechslerauthor" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/pamwechsler" target="_blank">Twitter</a>; you can also learn more about her and <i>Mission Hill</i> at her <a href="http://www.pamelawechsler.com/" target="_blank">website</a>. <i>Mission Hill</i> is available Tuesday (May 3rd) and if you'd like to take it for a test run first, Criminal Element has <a href="http://www.criminalelement.com/stories/2016/04/mission-hill-new-excerpt-pamela-wechsler" target="_blank">an excerpt posted</a>.<br />
<br />
Happy reading, friends!Jen Forbushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13325129568512353951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744617748983786106.post-15024674350905714112016-04-26T03:00:00.000-04:002016-04-26T03:00:15.630-04:00Sorry...and Catching Up<span style="font-size: x-large;">G</span>reetings! Long time no blog. First, I would like to send out big, warm virtual hugs to those people who sent me nice messages. They were so kind; not one of them said, "hey slacker, what the heck is going on?" I apologize for my hiatus. <br />
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For those that don't know, I went on vacation to Virginia during the second week of April, where I played with dogs and chickens and my wonderful friend Ginny Phillips who blogs over at <a href="https://gspotsylvania.com/" target="_blank">gspotsylvania</a>.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7rEt5U4LSvGXf2CbTBYmiusEnvwC1XCT0XbAiKNEzN86v35K3YLEhFM6u8IRmzmndhIhqKEm2OQ7AYNVHIkSVFSX8WcBnhUdeTgHjgjpAA4ER0mxwO_Yq-_FaNOSJDGZNkKtIhZ9Mo9Wl/s1600/henrietta-poppy-small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7rEt5U4LSvGXf2CbTBYmiusEnvwC1XCT0XbAiKNEzN86v35K3YLEhFM6u8IRmzmndhIhqKEm2OQ7AYNVHIkSVFSX8WcBnhUdeTgHjgjpAA4ER0mxwO_Yq-_FaNOSJDGZNkKtIhZ9Mo9Wl/s320/henrietta-poppy-small.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Henrietta Poppy</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyLxaCtDDK8ynJlsQp6ExfuE_8FCL4aWr0jQF5PKA_VQGQp6dLnL-lsMhUhVK8KkWr4anT_ZJV-YOUnEhMhktrjzYtGQuoZNn35GCLI0WMqmA2S998d7winTl_LoCfti4aZMLqVBo6WENs/s1600/millie2-small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyLxaCtDDK8ynJlsQp6ExfuE_8FCL4aWr0jQF5PKA_VQGQp6dLnL-lsMhUhVK8KkWr4anT_ZJV-YOUnEhMhktrjzYtGQuoZNn35GCLI0WMqmA2S998d7winTl_LoCfti4aZMLqVBo6WENs/s320/millie2-small.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Millie</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI13QhYhnuBLs9Nk1DNe23VP78InTH_okV7KbB1mSqIFdu6XDO5oj19YqbwDqT7OLeAft6A9ouO7qgaEu6hqgY0BLA-nnvpsHsGIbDao9qpfZ_TJV55VTPS5c-4m7-7wmrtNC-ccIgQe2v/s1600/tiffin-small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI13QhYhnuBLs9Nk1DNe23VP78InTH_okV7KbB1mSqIFdu6XDO5oj19YqbwDqT7OLeAft6A9ouO7qgaEu6hqgY0BLA-nnvpsHsGIbDao9qpfZ_TJV55VTPS5c-4m7-7wmrtNC-ccIgQe2v/s320/tiffin-small.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tiffin</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
I'm sorta, kinda caught up from being away. As much as I'm ever caught up, I guess. Anyone else feel perpetually behind? Ah well, 'tis life. It's all about the journey, right? While I was away, it snowed in NE Ohio. Left several inches on the ground. But then I returned to the mowing season. My dog Rufus was getting lost in the grass, so I figured it was time to drag the mower out. While I complain about the snow in Ohio, let me say right now, I'm glad I don't live in Denver. Unless you're a snow lover living there, I'm so sorry Denver folks. I hope this last storm is it for y'all now.<br />
<br />
I did quite a bit of reading while I was on vacation--that's the joy of vacationing with a fellow book lover. Finished up a great book from Lindy West called <i>Shrill</i>, Steve Hamilton's new one--<i>The Second Life of Nick Mason</i>--fantastic, and the upcoming book from Ben Winters, <i>Underground Airlines</i>. I'm on a run of good books and worried about when I'm going to hit that bad one that wrecks everything. I don't think it's my current read, though--<i>Broken Ground</i> (Karen Halvorsen Schreck) is off to a great start. You'll be hearing about them all in more detail eventually, of course.<br />
<br />
Since I drove down to Virginia, I got plenty of good audiobook time in as well. Finished up Michael Robotham's <i>Close Your Eyes</i>; David Taylor and Keith Szarabajka once again blew me away with the audiobook for <i>Night Work</i> (the second Michael Cassidy historical crime novel); and now I'm listening to a fun audio called <i>Spill Simmer Falter Wither</i>, which is dog-centric instead of crime-centric.<br />
<br />
What good books have you been reading or listening to lately?<br />
<br />
I posted this on Facebook, so you may have already seen it, but it's in print so I feel like it's real now, and I can share it with people--even though I still have a hard time believing it. I'm going to interview Fredrik Backman for his <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/885982721510320/" target="_blank">bookstore appearance at Anderson's Bookshop in Naperville, IL</a> next month. If you are in the area...whether you live there or are maybe in Chicago for BEA...I hope you'll come out. I'm so thrilled and excited about this. Hopefully I manage to keep my inner fan girl under control and won't make a fool out of myself.<br />
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Coming up on the blog I have plenty of reviews to catch up on, but I also have an interview with debut novelist, <a href="http://www.pamelawechsler.com/" target="_blank">Pamela Wechsler</a>. She's a first time novelist, but she's writing and consulting for TV prior to her first book, <i>Mission Hill</i>. I'll be sharing that interview with you tomorrow. I thoroughly enjoyed <i>Mission Hill</i>, a legal thriller, and it's due out next week, so I'll be reviewing that for you later this week as well.<br />
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I'm also hoping to get a new post up, probably next week, about the books I'm looking forward to this summer--as far as I know at this point anyway. And I have more posts for Where Jen's Book Thoughts' Readers Are Reading. I'm still taking submissions (<a href="http://www.jensbookthoughts.com/2016/01/where-you-read.html">details here</a>). If you haven't sent one yet, I hope you'll consider doing so. I'd love to have YOU on the blog. It's been fantastic connecting with some of you for the first time through this feature. So thank you to everyone who's sent something in so far.<br />
<br />
That's it for today. I'll be back tomorrow with Pam Wechsler. I hope you'll join us. Thanks so much, my book-loving friends. Happy reading!Jen Forbushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13325129568512353951noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744617748983786106.post-46377718517251165312016-04-01T03:00:00.000-04:002016-04-01T03:00:00.808-04:00Where Jen's Book Thoughts Readers Are Reading<span style="font-size: x-large;">H</span>appy Friday...Happy April...and I hope you haven't been the fool of any jokes yet today. Or at least not too many anyway. Today our featured reader is definitely no fool. She's a talented photographer, a cat lover and a fellow blogger--she's been blogging at <b><a href="http://www.whimpulsive.net/" target="_blank">Whimpsulive</a></b> since 2006! Plus, as you'll see below, she has the most excellent taste in books! I'm determined to meet SuziQOregon one of these days in person, but today she's coming to us from home in Oregon--and she chose the most appropriate of Portland settings, <b><a href="http://www.powells.com/" target="_blank">Powell's Bookstore</a></b>.<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
I live in the suburbs of Portland, Oregon with The Hubster and two incredibly spoiled cats. I'm in the picture that's a closer view of the window. I'm sitting on the bench inside. The book I'm reading in the photo is <i>Sunset Express</i> by Robert Crais. </blockquote>
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<br />Jen Forbushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13325129568512353951noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744617748983786106.post-45801338051748247622016-03-30T03:00:00.000-04:002016-03-30T03:00:02.091-04:00Quote of the Week<br />
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The hitman apologized, saying he had become quite a wizard at counting years while in the slammer, but all he knew about percentages was that there were about forty of them in vodka and sometimes even more in the kind of stuff that was produced in random basements without any oversight.<br />
<b> –Jonas Jonasson in <i>Hitman Anders and the Meaning of It All</i></b></blockquote>
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<br />Jen Forbushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13325129568512353951noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744617748983786106.post-65600714924407538512016-03-29T03:00:00.000-04:002016-03-29T03:00:03.611-04:00Surveillance - Reece Hirsch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>First line:</b> "The day that Bruen & Associates opened for business was one of the best days of Chris Bruen's life–until the first client walked through the door."</blockquote>
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In <a href="http://reecehirsch.com/" target="_blank">Reece Hirsch's</a> third book featuring protagonist, Chris Bruen, the privacy lawyer is launching his own business with his significant other, computer forensics specialist Zoey Doucet. What should be a monumental day in both characters' lives turns into the stuff nightmares are made of.<br />
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The clients most likely to hire Bruen aren't the type to walk in off the street, but just after opening the doors at Howard Street in San Francisco on the very first day of business, just such a client arrives:<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Chris was instantly skeptical that this would amount to anything. One of the occupational hazards of being a privacy lawyer was that you occasionally had to field calls from random paranoids who found your name linked to the world 'privacy' in their Google search results. Sometimes the issues were legitimate, but more often the matter was better addressed by an adjustment in medication or adding another layer of aluminum foil to a hat lining.</blockquote>
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Ian Ayres is a former hacker who now owns a penetration-testing and ethical-hacking service. His extreme paranoia–he wants to talk to Bruen outside his office–immediately puts Bruen on alert. Ayres explains that while doing a penetration testing job for a communications company he discovered a government agency downloading terabytes worth of call metadata. When he reported his findings to the client, they acted as though they never hired him and accused him of hacking their system. The contract Ayres had even vanished. Ayres is certain it isn't the NSA; he says he knows how they work. Instead, he theorizes that he's uncovered a secret agency no one is supposed to know about. And now people are after him.<br />
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Bruen is unsure whether he believes Ayres or not, but he knows for certain this isn't the type of case his firm handles. So he offers to give Ayres some recommendations. But when they return to the office, Bruen finds his entire staff–save Zoey–have been murdered. Now this secret agency isn't just after Ayres, Bruen is in their cross-hairs as well.<br />
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As the two men waste no time getting out of the office and on the run from their pursuers, Bruen calls Zoey, who had been out of the office for coffee, and advises her to go into hiding with an old hacker acquaintance of hers. The three set off in their respective directions, none of them knowing this is only the beginning of a terrifying ordeal, a modern-day David and Goliath. But do they have a sling shot mighty enough to bring down this unidentifiable Goliath of a government organization?<br />
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In the current climate of Edward Snowden, personal privacy and national security debates–a climate that also created a significant debate around Apple's refusal to help unlock an accused terrorist's phone–<i>Surveillance</i> is timely and more than a little disturbing. Hirsch will have readers thinking about their Google searches, phone calls, Skype chats, even library loans–or conversations in their cars, "It occurred to him that an operative with a laser microphone could eavesdrop on his conversation by using the sound vibrations on the car window glass." They're also likely to be far more cognizant of security cameras than they've been before. The reach of the government agencies and their current technologies is complex and significant. And the belief that you aren't doing anything wrong won't be a comfort during this thriller:<br />
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'So maybe it's kind of a variation on the Heisenberg principle. Maybe the NSA isn't trying to spy on its citizens so much as it's trying to keep them in line. Maybe the point of observation <i>is</i> to change behavior.' </blockquote>
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Hirsch keeps the pace moving quick and fluidly. Short chapters and high intensity suspense propel the plot. The crafty imagery compliments the subject matter well:<br />
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He felt like one of those smartphones that's a couple of generations behind the latest model. It still works, but the battery doesn't hold a charge the way it use to, the software's a bit glitchy–it'll never function again the way it did when it was new.</blockquote>
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And Hirsch also manages to sneak some wit into the dark depths of this technological thriller. The Amish way of life may look a little more appealing at the end of <i>Surveillance</i>. Stock up on the tinfoil, folks, the eyes and ears are everywhere.<br />
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<i>Surveillance</i> is available in paperback (ISBN: 978-1503933231) from Thomas & Mercer. It's also available as an unabridged audiobook (ISBN: 978-1511365994) narrated by David de Vries from Brilliance Audio.<br />
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Jen Forbushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13325129568512353951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744617748983786106.post-89518254914424558342016-03-25T11:48:00.000-04:002016-03-25T12:20:02.926-04:00Where Jen's Book Thoughts' Readers Are Reading<span style="font-size: x-large;">I</span>'m running a little behind this Friday, but for good reasons that I will share as soon as I can. But I hope you all are enjoying a grand end to this week. One more in March, how can that be?<br />
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But let's not go down that path, instead, let me welcome a special friend--again, one I met through the avenues of Jen's Book Thoughts--who has become near and dear to my heart even though geographically she isn't quite so near. Many of you, hopefully, already know her as blogger/reviewer/freelance editor/Craisie <a href="http://popculturenerd.com/" target="_blank">Pop Culture Nerd</a>. (I hope she has a rack for all those hats!) She's been a world traveler recently (is there space on the rack for this new hat?) so her submission reflects that. Here she is, my good friend reporting in from down under, Elyse:<br />
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I thought it'd be fun to show myself reading where an author lives instead of where I live. Michael Robotham, one of my favorite crime-fic authors, lives in Sydney, Australia, so this was the perfect novel to read while there (the book comes out in April in the States). <i>Close Your Eyes</i> made for a good traveling companion--engrossing and never complaining!</blockquote>
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Jen Forbushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13325129568512353951noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2744617748983786106.post-40497070857767750632016-03-22T03:00:00.000-04:002016-03-22T03:00:00.254-04:00Twisted River - Siobhán Macdonald<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>First line:</b> "She would never have fit as neatly into the trunk of his own car."</blockquote>
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In a day and age when house swapping has become commonplace, Siobhán Macdonald has found the ideal story concept to scare the bejesus out of her readers and make them think twice about that romantic Cameron Diaz <i>Holiday</i>.<br />
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Kate O'Brien, living in Limerick, Ireland, is running ragged. She teaches at the local college, but has recently turned down a promotion because it would require more time at work. As it is, she rushes home to be sure she's there for her son, Fergus. Fergus may be autistic, but Macdonald doesn't come straight out and say so. He is definitely bullied at school which weighs heavily on Kate and her daughter, Izzy. Izzy sacrifices a lot because of her brother's special needs, but she doesn't complain and she doesn't begrudge him anything. Fergus and Izzy's father, Mannix O'Brien, is occupied with secretive issues of his own that he's shared with his brother, but not his wife.<br />
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Hazel Harvey lives in an expensive Manhattan apartment with her dentist husband, Oscar, and their two children, Jess and Elliot. They appear to have an enviable life, but behind closed doors there are problems and secrets, and everything isn't quite what it appears to the outside world.<br />
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Kate and Hazel both decide that a family vacation is in order to help deal with the mounting stresses in their homes. So they take to the computer and research a house-swap for their accommodations. Kate wants to visit New York City because Fergus adores the movie <i>King Kong</i>. She can't believe her luck when she happens on Hazel's home in the listings. Hazel wants to visit Limerick because she emigrated from Ireland and hasn't been back to visit her homeland since.<br />
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Both families make their arrangements and set off for their vacations that will correlate with Halloween. What transpires befits the creepiest of haunting Halloween tales.<br />
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In her debut, Macdonald does an exquisite job of leading her readers by the noses and then throwing grand twists into the plot to catch them completely off guard. She plays off stereotypes to successfully muddy the plot waters and enhance the mystery. Be careful of drawing conclusions before reaching the end of <i>Twisted River</i> because Macdonald is likely to prove your conclusions wrong.<br />
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The suspense is well-developed to maintain intrigue and an eerie atmosphere consistently throughout the book.<br />
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The choice of a limited third person narrator allows Macdonald to share enough of the characters so readers can begin to develop ideas about them, but not enough to see their entire pictures. This works to help develop the suspense but it also highlights a theme of the novel: people are rarely who they first appear to be. Both family matriarchs end up guilty of assuming things about the other family without having the whole picture. And in Macdonald's world of <i>Twisted River</i>, that can be very, very dangerous.<br />
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<i>Twisted River</i> is available in trade paperback (ISBN: 9780143108436) from Penguin. It is also available as an unabridged audiobook (ISBN: 9781504686792), narrated by Alana Kerr Collins, Sile Bermingham, Gerard Doyle and Tom Taylorson, from Blackstone Audio. <br />
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Jen Forbushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13325129568512353951noreply@blogger.com3