Lost in a Good Book

I can’t say that an early Saturday morning pouring with rain was the best day to go to a book sale, but it was the annual Easter Saturday book sale so there wasn’t any question of whether I was going to go. And, in a wonderful piece of luck, there was another book sale only half an hour from the first one so, despite a lot of driving through my morning, I got to attend two book sales. With an almost 2.5 hour round trip, as well as varying levels of rainfall, it wasn’t a wasted morning as I came away with 19 books.

What I love about book sales is not only can you get great books incredibly cheaply, but you can find some incredible gems and treasures as well. I managed to add two new books to my Enid Blyton collection, the same hardback editions as the rest of my ridiculously old books which made me happy. I also found some great books that I’ve loved and never owned a copy of so I grabbed them as well. Being so cheap it also lets you take chances on books and I picked up a lot of books that sounded good by authors I did not know.

I picked up 13 books at sale one and a further 6 at the second, mainly because sale two had a much smaller selection, but all great nonetheless. Of course finding places for these new books will be hard. I have shelf space, just, but I do think if I ever get some quiet time I need another serious reshuffle of my bookshelves to gain some sort of organisation. But until then, anywhere will do and organised space or not, I have 19 new books to read and rediscover to enjoy!

Here is what I acquired:

The White Queen by Philippa Gregory

Bad Men by John Connolly

The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory

The Collected Short Stories of Roald Dahl

The Lady of the Rivers by Philippa Gregory

The Story of a Fierce Bad Rabbit by Beatrix Potter

Horrible Histories: The Groovy Greeks by Terry Deary

Mr Meddles Mischief by Enid Blyton

Tales of Toyland and Other Stories by Enid Blyton

1001 Cool Freaky Facts by Glen Singleton

The Light Between Oceans by M. L. Steadman

Goodnight Mister Tom by Michelle Magorian

The World’s Best Fairy Tales by Reader’s Digest Association

Lost And Found by Brooke Davis

A Confusion of Princes by Garth Nix

The Vanished Child by Sarah Smith

These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova

Appetite by Philip Kazan

I Truly Lament by Mathias B. Freese

02 Apr 2015 1 Comment

by Amy in 3 Stars, Short Stories Tags: historical fiction, mathias b freese, paperback, short story, three stars, world war two, wwII

Published: 15th September 2014
Publisher: Wheatmark
Pages: 230
Format: Paperback
Genre: Short Stories/Historical fiction
★ ★ ★ – 3 Stars

I Truly Lament—Working Through the Holocaust is a varied collection of stories: inmates in death camps; survivors of these camps; disenchanted Golems complaining about their designated rounds; Holocaust deniers and their ravings; collectors of Hitler curiosa (only recently a few linens from Hitler’s bedroom suite went up for sale!); an imagined interview with Eva Braun during her last days in the Berlin bunker; a Nazi camp doctor subtly denying his complicity; and the love story of a Hungarian cantor, among others.

Note: I was provided with a copy of this book for review

The stories in this anthology are not real accounts or experiences, they are fictionalised stories, and yet Freese does manage to capture a small part about what life was like for those during the war. Stories about starving in camps, being dragged away from villages and mistreated by guards, as well as the tales and haunting memories by survivors are all expressed through numerous stories and Freese explores these emotions really well.

Freese does not take one side or viewpoint in his stories, instead he uses a variety of perspectives from prisoners, guards, adults and children, and uses settings and moments that take place before, during, and after the war. Each narrative voice is good at expressing the required level of emotion and feelings, suitable depending on the character and the circumstance, and despite somewhat restricted descriptions, a vivid image of the various environments is possible.

Even though the topic is quite intense, not every story is haunting or depressing; some are humorous and light-hearted, some are certainly strange, and even those from prisoner points of view are fairly philosophical and reflective, yet don’t distract from the serious topic at hand. There are stories that explore falling in love in the early days of the war, about life within the camps, and stories that change the tone completely with humour, absurdity, and intense philosophical and psychological evaluations. For those stories of a darker nature, the details about life in the camps and the abuse suffered at the hands of guards is realistic but have limited detail or gruesome accounts. Freese does not make light of the treatment or shy away from the facts, but he also does not spend time describing it in great detail. There is a great deal of authenticity in many of these stories but Freese is restraining on making it too brutal to read about.

Despite being fictional, there is a ring of truth and real emotion in many of these stories that expresses the despair and torment of living in the camps, the justification by the Nazis, and even demonstrating that coming out a survivor does not always mean total liberation from the memories or the suffering. I liked that Freese chose to have many points of view from all parts of the war and from both sides involved. It balanced out the collection and it added a wonderful range of views and experiences of the same situation.

Admittedly not every story was up to the same calibre with some of greater quality and more enjoyable than others. Some were emotive and insightful and were wonderful at evoking feelings and circumstance while others were a tad bland and seemed to be lacking something. Having said that I did find a lot of the stories fascinating, not in a morbid way, but as someone who cannot even fathom what it was truly like, for prisoners or guards. There is no real way to wrap your head around these experiences and no matter how much you read you can never truly capture what it was like. Freese has tried to get inside the minds of people who experienced all sides of the war and has managed to reflect the numerous and various experiences rather well.

There is no denying the topic is one that is haunting and possibly uncomfortable for many, but this is not an anthology filled totally with heavy stories about sorrow and despair. Freese mixes up the styles and the tones and with a mixture of humour and reflection and tells touching stories that try and explore what people went through as a result of World War II. Certainly not all stories will be to everyone’s taste, and some are more serious and respectful than others, but what Freese has done in trying to take new approaches in discussing the Holocaust is certainly commendable.

You can purchase I Truly Lament via the following

Amazon

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The Watchtower by Darke Conteur

01 Apr 2015 Leave a comment

by Amy in 3 Stars, Book Bingo Tags: book bingo, darke conteur, novella, paranormal, three stars, urban fantasy

Published: 29th September 2011
Publisher: Self Published
Pages: 90
Format: ebook
Genre: Urband Fantasy/Paranormal/Novella
★ ★ ★ – 3 Stars

His first day of work wasn’t what Martin Cunningham expected. A sultry boss, a classy receptionist, the drama-queen foreigner, and a painfully shy techie who prefers hiding to human interaction, was the oddest group of characters he’d ever met. When an assassination attempt is made against his new boss, Martin comes face to face with the stuff of nightmares.

Now he and his new co-workers must race to prevent another attack, but where do they start? There’s very little to go on, and the only solid piece of evidence escaped through the u-bend in the toilet. By the end of the day, Martin becomes one of the privileged few who really understands what lies in the shadows, and what it means to work in THE WATCHTOWER

Note: I was provided with a copy of this book for review

This short urban fantasy novella is filled with magic and magical beings, and an action filled story that throws you into the deep end from the early pages. The story is enjoyable and it is a wonderful concept but being a novella there is not a lot of room to expand and I would have loved more detail about these characters and their abilities. Having said that though, it is a nice quick introduction to each of them and the story acts like a mini adventure before a grander story is to emerge. There is enough to make the story work and make it understandable and being the first in the series more information will no doubt be provided in later books.

The story is fast paced but easy to follow and Conteur has written it well so that Martin’s initiation and confusion about the magical world is realistic but not distracting. From think these people are just quirky colleagues to being suddenly thrown into a situation with dark magic he handles it well and Conteur demonstrates his gradual acceptance suitably, while still maintaining his slight disbelief. It is clear that Martin is often too caught up in the present situation to do any real reflection on what is happening, but when he does it comes across quite naturally and while he thinks the entire thing quite bizarre, there is also no doubting what he sees before his eyes.

The characters are likeable and Conteur has given an introduction to them in a manner that feels real and believable, and fitting to the circumstances. The detail is limited, and being a novella understandable, but there is also enough to grasp who they are and understand their roles. The immediate action that unfolds means there is little time to ponder decisions and people too much but Conteur manages to maintain the story well and not skip information or make the story feel like it has ignored crucial information while still retaining some mystery. As a result getting involved in this story is easy and the intrigue and pull you along with Martin as he discovers who these people are and what kind of job he has signed himself up for.

There is not a long explanation about Terin Global Corporation but Conteur fits information neatly and smoothly into the narrative and dialogue and the reader learns as Martin learns. I enjoyed the mystery and the lack of information at the start because it added to the story. Conteur sets up the workplace as being weird and peculiar and having quirky characters who do not explain things which works well and provides a bit of curiosity. Nothing much is explained to Martin and he gets flung into this strange new job which immediately becomes somewhat bizarre leaving little time to think, yet Conteur is aware not to make Martin too accepting too quickly.

The combination of Greek and Christian ideologies confused me slightly; the fact that both can exist but that Heaven and Hell is more real than The Underworld was interesting. This was a seemingly small part overall but it was curious if it is an introduction to the realities of the world.

The story is a quick read at less than 100 pages and is a decent introduction into the series. The concept is interesting and Conteur delivers a story that is filled with the unknown and the supernatural tied together with action, intrigue, and unique and fascinating magical beings.

You can purchase The Watchtower via the following

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Where Freedom Rings: A Tale of the Underground Railroad by Steven Donahue

30 Mar 2015 Leave a comment

by Amy in 4 Stars, General Tags: america, ebook, four stars, historical fiction, steven donahue, underground railroad

Published: 28th January 2015
Publisher: Self Published
Pages: 192
Format: ebook
Genre: Historical fiction
★ ★ ★ ★ – 4 Stars

The thrilling story of four slaves who try to escape to the northern area of the United States along the Underground Railroad in 1853.

Kelsa Colver leads her husband and two young sons on the dangerous trek after a fellow slave is murdered by a vindictive slave owner. Along the way, the Colvers are assisted by various abolitionists, including a neighboring farmer, a progressive priest, a sympathetic lawman, and notable figures Harriet Tubman and William Still. However, their efforts are impeded by a dark family secret, and the interventions of a corrupt clergyman, vicious outlaws and greedy slave hunters.

Note: I was provided a copy of this book for review.

The story Donahue has written about Kelsa and her family is a captivating tale and one that depicts the hardships people had to endure and the risks people like the Colvers took in order to have a better life. The life the Colver family on the plantation is hard and the tension is evident, each of them ever fearful of something happening to them. This fear is made worse by hearing stories from other slaves and knowing little mistakes can have major consequences.

While the Colvers personal experiences were not as horrific as those around them, the fear of their daily lives is enough to push Kelsa and her family into escaping and join up with the Underground Railroad in an effort to secure their freedom. There is a lot of danger surrounding the Colvers during their escape and Donahue makes it clear the ongoing jeopardy the family is in. The fact that they are being helped by a network of people doesn’t mean their journey is any less perilous and that their covers may be blown at any time.

Only knowing a small amount of information about Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad it was really interesting to see how it worked and the secrecy of those involved. Operating by travelling through various means with the help of white people, as well as freed slaves, and reading about the effort they went through to ensure the survival and freedom of those in their care is pretty astounding.

The narrative manages to capture the tension and the immense pressure that is on the family as well as the abolitionists which adds wonderful drama to the story, never knowing what will happen. The fear Kelsa has about their journey is evident and Donahue expresses her worry in a realistic and very maternal manner. The harrowing journey from the south is filled with intolerance, vagabonds and thieves, as well as disasters that foil the best-laid plans. Quick thinking helps Kelsa navigate her family through the danger but the desire to survive is strong and sometimes self-defence is the only solution.

Kelsa is a wonderful character, she is strong willed and determined to give her family a better life, and she stands up for what is right, though ever wary of her circumstance. Everything she does is for the good of her family and she teaches her boys maths and how to read in order to give them a better chance at life. Her family is occasionally the reason they get in trouble but Kelsa handles it well, reprimanding them when needed and protecting them from others.

Donahue manages to express some of the reasons as well as the many risks slaves and abolitionists took in fighting against the law. The story demonstrates the dangers that faced those escaping and it shows that the journey to freedom was one fraught with danger and one that many took at risk to their own lives. Donahue never makes the lives of slaves or their escape seem simple, nor does he make it seem safe. The goal is always the north but the message is clear that crossing those borders is not always going to mean salvation or security and there may never be an end to the running.

One thing I liked about this story is while the story deals with slavery and living on a plantation, Donahue limits the graphic details about life for slaves without taking away its importance or the brutality. The experiences Kelsa and her family have are harsh but not explicitly shown, and many of the more gruesome and horror stories are told to them by people they meet or mentioned in passing, meaning the realities of their life and others are not ignored, but the details are kept brief and not too graphic.

Being based in a real part of history makes this story quite profound in a way. It demonstrates the hardships of life for slaves and Donahue approaches it with respect and understanding, never trying to make light of America’s past. The journey Kelsa takes with her family is a touching story that brings to life a fictionalised account of a journey that many real people took in hopes for a better life and is a reminder of the goodness of humanity but also the darkness.

You can purchase Where Freedom Rings via the following

Amazon

Amazon Aust

Amazon UK