Down the Other Street by Jennifer Cie

17 Jul 2014 Leave a comment

by Amy in 4 Stars, General, Short Stories Tags: , , ,

Published: 29th July 2014
Goodreads badgePublisher: Self Published
Pages: 135
Format: ebook
Genre: Short stories
★   ★   ★   ★  – 4 Stars

DownOnTheOtherStreetLong winded, unemployed, and timid, on the first date Brendan Bloom is already in love. Comfortably arched over his body, Ryan contemplates murder. Cold, necklace gleaming against the pale tint of her collarbone, the passenger could have mercy. Not a little black book, but a faded love letter out from under the sheets. Some romances ignite on sight, others flare at the base of waterless tubs soaked in agitation. Rooted in the South, this collection of short stories delivers five electric confessions of love, sexuality, and identity across time.

Note: I was provided a copy of this book by the author to review.

Down on the Other Street is a collection of short stories that are about love, relationships, sexuality, and discovering who you are. Focusing on the South and across many different time periods, these stories invite you into the intimate lives and emotions of various people, making you realise that people can be a lot more complicated than they appear.

The stories Cie has created are touching, emotional, and unique. They are stories of the passion of love and sexual experience, and the yearning and exhilaration you can experience as a result. The characters are detailed, emotional, in-depth, and trying to discover themselves. They do this through the relationships they have with other people and in each of their stories we see the struggles, social issues, and freedoms that these relationships have on them.

Despite the fact that there are many connecting themes between these stories, no two are truly alike; some of them are so different that it isn’t just the time period that separates them. Two of my favourite stories from the collection are Intellectuals Are Fools and The Blue Bullet, both being excellent stories that capture not only a powerful relationship, but also stories of interest, unanswered questions and filled with the unexpected.

What needs to be mentioned is that while there is a strong focus on love and sexuality, it is in no way explicit, vulgar, or even in there unnecessarily. As someone who has a slight aversion towards explicit sex scenes and over the top romance I found that how Cie has controlled and developed not just the relationships, but also the intimacy and sexual nature, was really well done. There was meaning and emotion brought out through the detail and done so tastefully to the characters and who they are as people without requiring anything to be over the top or disrespectful.

Down on the Other Street will not only open your eyes to the complexities that human emotions are capable of, but also demonstrate that the journey towards discovering your own identity can take many different paths and no two will ever be exactly the same. Cie’s stories follow these many different paths and provide each character with a voice, one that draws in the reader to the emotion and complexities of the surrounding world as well as the character within it and they do so with style and compassion.

The Other Tree by D.K. Mok

11 Jul 2014 Leave a comment

by Amy in 4 Stars, General Tags: , , ,

Today I have a review for The Other Tree by D. K. Mok as part of her blog tour thanks to Spence City!

Published: 28th January 2014
Goodreads badgePublisher: Spence City
Pages: 400
Format: ebook via Edelweiss
Genre: Fantasy
★   ★   ★   ★  – 4 Stars

It’s been four years since Chris Arlin graduated with a degree that most people think she made up, and she’s still no closer to scraping up funding for her research into rare plants. Instead, she’s stacking shelves at the campus library, until a suspiciously well-dressed man offers her a lucrative position on a scientific expedition.

For Chris, the problem isn’t the fact that they’re searching for the Biblical Tree of Life. Nor is it the fact that most of the individuals on the expedition seem to be fashionably lethal mercenaries. The problem is that the mission is being backed by SinaCorp, the corporation responsible for a similar, failed expedition on which her mother died eleven years ago. However, when Chris’s father is unexpectedly diagnosed with inoperable cancer, Chris sees only one solution.

Vowing to find the Tree of Life before SinaCorp’s mercenaries, Chris recruits Luke, an antisocial campus priest undergoing a crisis of faith. Together, they embark on a desperate race to find Eden. However, as the hunt intensifies, Chris discovers growing evidence of her mother’s strange behaviour before her death, and she begins to realise that SinaCorp isn’t the only one with secrets they want to stay buried.

The Other Tree is a story that is clever, secretive, and mysterious. It is about two regular people trying to do something extraordinary, driven by determination and personal motives, all the while having a dangerous enemy biting at their heels who is also after the same prize: the Tree of Life. Both parties are after the Tree for very different reasons and we watch as Chris and Luke race against SinaCorp to decipher ancient texts and solve riddles to find the location of the other mystical tree from the Garden of Eden.

One of my weaknesses in reading is being given questions early on that don’t get answered; it will pretty much guarantee I will keep reading just to find out the answer, and find out why I wasn’t told the answer at the time. Mok implements this technique from the start. Asking questions at the beginning of a story that go unanswered for a little bit gets you interested and it keeps you reading because even if nothing has actually happened yet plot wise, you still are left with a question that is dangling in front of you. You want to know why this character thought that the perfect stranger standing in a courtyard was peculiar even if you know nothing else.

Admittedly even with these questions the story started off slowly but it was not without some interest. It picks up in the middle and as the story progressed it gradually became more engaging, as all good adventure stories should. This has been catagorised as a fantasy but surprisingly I kept thinking of it not just as an adventure style story, but one that actually seemed quite realistic. I know that sounds strange considering it is a story about the hunt for the Tree of Life and the Garden of Eden, but so much of this novel made me happy because it played out like reality would. Chris and Luke are not professionals, they aren’t even part of an organisation, they are a botanist and a priest trying to beat a massive corporation, a corporation who have access to the latest technologies, unlimited funding, and specially trained mercenaries, and Mok doesn’t forget that. It’s slowness in part makes it realistic, being untrained and slightly unskilled, the way Chris and Luke tackle the adventure is believable, as another character mentions, they keep stopping regularly for food, they also sleep in motels, have to drive long distances and catch commercial flights to other countries. There is no fast solution, and how they gain their information differs from SinaCorp because it cannot just be bought or analysed with equipment. However, being unskilled doesn’t make them unprepared and a lot of their own unique skills come in handy during their search.

Another great part of the story is the relationship between Chris and Luke. Their friendship is enjoyable and as a result makes the story enjoyable to read. The realism in their relationship becomes more profound as the book continues and the banter, dialogue and support between them are what make it special; it’s natural and reflects how people behave with one another. This realism is also shown with other character relationships. While Chris often jokes to herself about making grand declarations liked heroes do against their foe, she knows it doesn’t happen in reality and while you are making sweeping statements they will most likely turn and shoot you without a second thought. People get hurt, money buys power, and there isn’t always justice.

This doesn’t mean there is no fun in this book. There is a lot of great humour, jokes between friends, great banter between characters and a great mix of sarcasm and fear that makes for an interesting read. Throughout this story Mok balances the seriousness, humour, religion, mystery, and adventure elements perfectly meaning each aspect is evident at the appropriate time and nothing is too overbearing. Mok also includes some great profound statements, not just by characters but also in the narrative, each time never feeling out of place or unwelcome, and offering that serious nature amongst what could be mistaken as a jovial quest in parts.

I am not a religious person, I don’t know much about it and what I do know comes from multiple and various pop culture references and general exposure that occurs from daily life. Having said that, I liked the approach Mok takes with this story and how religion is dealt with. And while it does centre on these religious elements, The Other Tree is more action based story involving religion rather than solely an in-depth religious analysis in itself. What religious aspects that are present are presented in a way that is respectful yet basic, while also being realistic, well placed, and properly used. This presentation is helped a lot by the characters, something that not only brought out the story and the themes really well, but got you to know who these characters were.

Both Chris and Luke are people with something in their past and through their ordeal we slowly see this come to light and see them face what they have been hiding from and who they are a people. But while they are a lot of the main focus, all of Mok’s characters are highly unique, and in their own way they are quite observant and profound, and many have secrets of their own. As you read, and as you see what each character does and what they think, you are able to gain a great sense of who they are as people, sometimes even a simple observation from a third party gives you invaluable insight into who they are and what drives them.

With no spoilers I will say I liked the way Mok ends the book. While I had a few theories running on how it would pan out I think how it was concluded leaves you satisfied. Mok has rounded off this mass adventure and ordeal with respect not just to the characters, but to the reader; it is done without rushing, without being unrealistic for the reality it has created, and it also stays true to the characters and what we’ve come to expect from them. Overall The Other Tree is an adventurous and enjoyable story that gives you the unexpected, the unique, and the unusual all in an interesting story about faith, humanity, and botany.

 

About the Author

DK Mok lives in Sydney, Australia, and writes fantasy and science fiction novels and short stories. DK’s urban fantasy novel, The Other Tree, was released in 2014 by Spence City, and her short story ‘Morning Star‘ was shortlisted for an Aurealis Awards. DK’s new epic fantasy novel, Hunt for Valamon, is scheduled for release in January 2015 by Spence City.

DK grew up in libraries, immersed in lost cities and fantastic worlds, populated by quirky bandits and giant squid. She graduated from UNSW with a degree in Psychology, pursuing her interest in both social justice and scientist humour.

She’s fond of cephalopods, androids, global politics, rugged horizons, science and technology podcasts, and she wishes someone would build a labyrinthine library garden so she could hang out there. Her favourite fossil deposit is the Burgess Shale.

All Your Bits and Pieces Needs
Website
Facebook
Twitter

The Sense of Touch by Ron Parsons

04 Jun 2014 Leave a comment

by Amy in 4 Stars, General, Short Stories Tags: , , , , ,

Today as part of The Sense of Touch Blog Tour hosted by Pump Up Your Book, I have a review to share with you all. The Sense of Touch is a collection of short stories by Ron Parsons about  transformation, finding yourself, and hope. In the eight short stories we see the lives and experiences of a range of people, with each story offering the characters and the readers something to take away with them. The book is available as a paperback or as an ebook so check it out!



About the Book:

The Sense of TouchOld friends uncomfortably reunited and lovers who cling to their distance from one another; disappearing fathers, fiercely loving grandfathers, and strangers who pass through and radically change lives…These are among the characters who populate the rugged Midwestern landscapes of the mesmerizing fiction world of Ron Parsons. In his debut collection, THE SENSE OF TOUCH (Aqueous Books; May 1, 2013), Parsons captures people of various ages in the act of searching for meaning and connection and themselves. Firmly set in South Dakota, Minnesota, and Michigan, the lush but often brutally cold heartland of America, the eight stories explore universal themes–loneliness, betrayal, transformation, hope–in fresh, sometimes fanciful, sometimes comical, sometimes jarring, and always moving and memorable ways.

 

Ron Parsons 2About the Author

RON PARSONS is a writer living in Sioux Falls. Born in Michigan and raised in South Dakota, he was inspired to begin writing fiction in Minneapolis while attending the University of Minnesota. His short stories have appeared in many literary magazines and venues, including The Gettysburg Review, Indiana Review, Storyville App, The Briar Cliff Review, Flyway, and The Onion. His debut collection of stories, THE SENSE OF TOUCH, was released by Aqueous Books in 2013.

All Your Bits and Pieces Needs
Website
Blog
Twitter
Facebook
Goodreads
Author page
Buy on Amazon
Sense of Touch Tour Page
Goodreads Virtual Bookclub

 

Published: 1st May 20133349b-goodreads-button
Publisher: Aqueous Books
Pages: 252
Format: ebook
Genre: Short story/Literary Fiction
★   ★   ★   ★  – 4 Stars

Note: I was given a copy of this book to review

The Sense of Touch is a collection of short stories that capture the lives and the landscape of the Midwest. The stories in the collection are all different, but in some ways they are all the same. They all tell stories about men and women and their lives, however extraordinary or otherwise. They show that the lives of the seemingly ordinary can be complex, that they can be both mundane and filled with passion or excitement at the same time.

What occurs in these stories shows that the seemingly ordinary can be quite extraordinary not just for the people involved, but for the reader as well. Parson is quite skilled at lulling you into a story only to turn it on its head. And while this does not occur in every story, or even in an obvious way, you never know when one will happen. It is a sudden turn you were not predicting in the story, and the style in which Parsons introduces is clever, sneaking it upon you, or casually throwing in a sentence in among a seemingly ordinary paragraph. A line, a word, a piece of dialogue can change everything and leave you questioning what has happened or shocked and engrossed in the change or new piece of information.

Short stories have the ability to capture an entire life in a short space, whether that entire lifetime is covered or not. How people are portrayed in short stories reveal so much about them as people, about the relationships they are in, they are quite skilled and powerful at telling you an entire story while not telling us an entire story. Parsons does this well, the lives of the everyday are captured and highlighted, in the remarkable and unremarkable, in the public eye and in the intimate. The characters in this collection bring their own essence to their story, whether it is the contemplations of man’s life with his grandfather, a woman trying to find herself in the city, or a man reigniting a friendship with a school friend.

What was interesting about this collection is that there are not always conclusions or final answers about things. The open ended nature of the stories isn’t unsatisfying though; there is a sense of completeness where you do not need to know any more. You understand the characters will either continue on as they are, no sign of change, or there are heart-warming moments that make you realise they are going to be ok, even after all they’ve told you. A few unanswered questions allow the readers to make up their own minds, and even those with hints at conclusions still allow you the same opportunity.

With a total of eight stories making up this collection Parsons’ gives us people who could be anybody and who in some way can be related to by everybody. The absurd stories are beautiful and engaging, while offering an insight into the lives and mind of others, with a touch of the unspoken, and certainly one of lasting impression.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang by Ian Fleming

28 May 2014 Leave a comment

by Amy in 4 Stars, Birthdays, Classic, General, Junior Fiction Tags: , , , , ,

Birthday

Today marks the 106th birthday of author Ian Fleming, best known for his novels turned movies about 007 spy James Bond. However, writing novels is not how Fleming started out. Born in 1908, Fleming was the second of four bothers to parents Valentine and Eve. Valentine was a Member of Parliment for Henley in London and they lived in the wealthy district of Mayfair. Just before Fleming’s ninth birthday his father was killed in the First World War, and family friend and fellow officer, Winston Churchill wrote the obituary.

Fleming had a range of jobs, he attempted a career in the army, failing his officer’s exam and his attempt to get into the Foreign Office, he instead joined the Reuters news agency. It was here he learnt the basics of journalism and relished in reporting on the espionage trial in Russia. He left this position and worked in a bank in London before moving onto a stockbroker company. He soon changed jobs again and became, unexpectedly, the personal assistant to the Director of the Naval Intelligence, a job that transformed his life.

The first Bond novel, Casino Royal, was written in 1953, with one being released every year afterwards until 1966. Fleming had a major impact on British culture and there is a lot written about him. I could spent forever discussing all the things he did, especially about James Bond, so instead I suggest you check out the superb official website. Here you will find video, details information about Fleming’s life, his creation of the Bond novels, as well as his literary career, family, and even trivia.

Fleming is the kind of author I know of, but know little about aside from what he wrote. I have not read any of the James Bond novels, and I do not feel qualified to discuss them but there has been so much written about them it is worth looking up to find about the themes, ideas, and style through Flemings many books. I have however, read Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

I’m not sure how many people know that the creator of the suave spy James Bond is also the creator of the magical flying car that was turned into a wonderful movie with Dick Van Dyke but this little story is one that continues to delight. Three additions to the series were added by Frank Cottrell Boyce that carries on the magical adventures of the car, each having a new adventure and going new places..

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was a story created for Fleming’s son Caspar. In 1962 when Dr. No was being turned into a film, Fleming suffered a heart attack and was under orders not to work, instead he hand wrote Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, the story of adventures with a family and their magical car.

 

Exciting Bits and Pieces

Website
More about Ian Fleming
James Bond
Fun Facts

Published: 22 October 19643349b-goodreads-button
Publisher: Puffin
Pages: 113
Format: Book
Genre: Junior Fiction
★   ★   ★   ★   – 4 Stars

“Crackpot” is what everybody calls the Pott family. So when they go to buy a new car and come back with a wreck, nobody is surprised. Except for the Potts themselves. First, the car has a name. And she tells them what it is. Then they find out that she can fly. And swim…Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is a car on a mission to stop a criminal gang in its tracks — and she is taking the Potts with her!

 

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang follows the story of a car and the Pott family. Comander Caractacus Pott is an inventor, husband to Mimsie Pott and father to two twin children Jeremy and Jemima. After selling his whistle-like sweets to a sweets factory owned by Lord Skrumshus, Commander Pott buys and renovates an old car. At first the car is just big, impressive and powerful, but the Pott family soon learn that the car is alive, and just a little bit magical.

This was something I enjoyed because unlike the movie version it is made clear that Chitty herself is alive, not that Pott made her special. Chitty initiates all her magical elements such as flying, and floating through various scenarios in the book, not all extraordinary circumstances either. She indicates to Pott which buttons need pushing and what levers need pulling and marvellous things happen.

After a mishap at a family outing the Pott family end up in France where their adventures really kick off. I can’t say many of my family outings included dynamite and blowing up criminal hideouts, but then again what the British did in their free time is not my concern.

Some parts of the plot are actually really interesting and well written. Being a true Fleming story there are marvellous cars and technology, danger, gangsters, and thrilling plots galore. It is definitely an intriguing read and one that you can tell has come from the mind of the great James Bond creator. There is a great story here if you accept some of its peculiarities and absurdness. I understand this is supposed to be a children’s book of magic and adventure but you can’t ignore that some parts are slightly silly. The fact that the Pott family thought they could just blow up a part of the French cliffs and nobody will make a fuss, “Probably even give us medals” I recall Mr Pott saying, made me smile. Nothing like a good old British stab at the French. And the proximity of small children to dynamite was an interesting turn, but being the 60s and from the mind of Fleming it just adds to the excitement.

Having grown up on the film I enjoyed seeing the Pott family as a whole unit, and Commander Potts as quirky but competent. The key here, as with most children’s books, or any books really, is don’t expect them to be exactly like the film. Characters are added, removed, all in the name of storytelling. Unlike in the film, there is a Mrs Pott in the book, which immediately rules out the chance of a romance occurring for dear Mr Pott with the Skrumshus daughter (who is also absent). They always seem to break up the families, either for pity or for love interest when these movies are made, the same thing happened with Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory if I recall.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is a relatively short book, definitely an easy read, and one that has and will continue to delight. I haven’t read any of the other books in the series by Frank Cottrell Boyce, and I am not entirely sure I want to. I am quite happy to enjoy Chitty Chitty Bang Bang as a standalone book, but who knows, one day I may stumble across the others and give them a go. As I say, don’t come looking to this book thinking it is like the movie, aside from some vague similarities in the beginning the rest is not the same at all and in its own right it is just as good.

Sun Poisoned (Sunshine #2) by Nikki Rae

25 Jan 2014 1 Comment

by Amy in 4 Stars, General, Romance, Sunshine Series, Young Adult Tags: , , , , ,

Published: June 28, 2013
Goodreads badgePublisher: Self Published
Pages: 229
Format: Ebook
Genre: Young Adult/Paranormal/Romance
★   ★   ★   ★  – 4 Stars

Note: I was asked for a review by the author

Sophie’s life has changed. She’s moved to New York, she’s playing music for new people, and she’s making new friends. Then there’s Myles, and the fact that he is now her boyfriend—and everyone knows it. There are a lot of new things to take in, but Sophie has no problem adjusting. 

She’s not exactly normal, living in a half-human, half-vampire world, but she’s finally, truly happy. But some parts of Sophie and Myles’ old life still hide in the dark, waiting for the right opportunity to strike.

Sophie’s having nightmares again, but they aren’t about her; Myles is hiding something that she’s not sure she wants to know. And one lie will change everything.

No matter how hard she tries to cover up the marks her monsters have left behind, they never truly go away, and Myles’ monsters are no different. Once again, Sophie’s caught between life and death, but this time, only she can save herself.

Rae did a wonderful job building up my affections and emotions towards her characters…and then she goes and brutally crushes them. But alas, spoilers. But honestly, my emotions were totally and brutally crushed in this book.

In the second book in the Sunshine series we see Sophie living in New York, playing at Midnight with her band, and working at the club selling merchandise. She has escaped her mother, she is doing what she loves, and she has boyfriend Myles plus her friends Boo and Trei to enjoy life with.

But Sophie is still haunted by her past and now she is also now haunted by other people’s as well. The incident with Michael has brought Sophie into Myles’ world even more and she is resisting as much as she can. With Myles’ help she tries to forget the events six months ago and tries to focus on her new exciting life, but the past is never far behind.

We learn a bit more about the supernatural world this time around, Sophie learns more from Myles and situations that she becomes involved in reveal additional rules and elements of the vampire world, though this time she tries to stay away from it, unprepared to become involved after what happened last time.

The events from the first novel are not forgotten and are revisited, and we also see Sophie become more involved with the paranormal side of her life. What was done well was that those who have not read the first book are explained a few things in fractured recaps throughout the second. While some things are explained, others are simply hinted at and require construction from various comments and references. This is good because while you are left in the dark about a lot of things that occur in the first book, especially specific details or certain characters and histories, the reminders are there, keeping the timeline in check, while also filling in a few gaps and questions at the same time. This also acts as a reminder to readers that the past events are still vivid and that they have not been forgotten. Book two is not a new adventure, it is a continuing saga that began in Sunshine and will continue in this book and through the lives of Sophie and her friends and family.

The plot style is curious, the element of mystery is not strong per se, but the drawn out nature and untold information keeps you going to try and find the answers. There is a curiosity that has been created to get you involved with these characters once again, and I did find myself getting further attached to these characters, I will say not to all of them, but it did not entirely matter. Each character is unique in their own way, all with stable development behind them that is adequate to their needs in the story and ours, even if it is revealed slowly or straight away. As with Sunshine the characters drive the story and their experiences and lives keep you wanting more and whether that is day to day life and struggles, or whether it is something phenomenal is unimportant.

As a result of this curiosity and mystery it does make you a tad suspicious as you try and work out if people have ulterior motives and where the story is possibly leading to. As we follow Sophie we again only learn as she does, and when events happen around her we only catch glimpses and must piece things together or be patient until they are revealed. There was the slightest hint in Sunshine I thought that there may be something special about Sophie, these theories were reignited and annoyingly and skilfully only hinted at again in Sun Poisoned which leaves a lot to the imagination.

There are again various incidents and events in this book that occur, some are more complicated and severe compared to those in the first book and Rae writes about these and the experience just as well as before. There are descriptions and emotions used that are excellent at helping us to see and understand them from Sophie’s perspective, even if they are not always about her specifically. This adds to the nice uncertainty because we only know what Sophie knows and what people tell her. I think, especially for the latter half of the book, this is incredible important and something that third person could not achieve with the same level of satisfaction. There needs to be an emotional connection in this story and these books because characters are the key and readers need to understand them more than a third person point of view could adequately provide.

The beginning feels a little bit slow but we get a lot of information in the first half. We learn more about Myles’ life and world, as well as a few outcomes of the events in the last book. Characters are being re-established, a few new ones are introduced, and there is development of Myles and Sophie’s relationship.

The good thing about this development we see of Sophie and Myles’ relationship is how Rae has approached it. Instead of focusing on the romance element on its own, instead it is shown through other events and the actions of others. This is a clever move because it protects the story from being purely about their romance with other things happening around them, or having moments of story, and then moments of their romance. This is where their connection shines, intertwined through life and the people around them.

There is a defining halfway point where it feels a switch is flipped, but it isn’t sudden either. It is like things have gradually been getting more intense without you realising and then all of a sudden something happens and you never come back down. I really enjoyed the story from this point, there was a lot of investment with what was happening and Rae writes drama so well, especially for characters so it was highly emotional to read.

Similarly to the first book, the language is casual on occasion; the tone Sophie uses connects with the continual descriptive nature of the story. She recounts what she does and she describes almost exactly what she sees and feels. In that sense it works together. There is a consistence in the writing style which doesn’t make anything stick out in particular as you read, but certain elements can be identified looking at the story as a whole.

Rae has again created a wonderful slow reveal story with a thread of hidden secrets, and while it may not feel gripping initially it is by the ending I assure you, the suspense and uncertainty that fills most of the last half of the book keeps you on edge as you are eager and impatient to see where it leads. And in between then you still get intrigued and involved with these characters, this is what keeps you going to the excitement and excellent ending that inevitable develops. I could easily reread this series right away. This is a strong temptation stopped only by the pile of other books I have to read. I impatiently wait for book three.

Previous Older Entries Next Newer Entries