Category: Book Reviews

Book review: ‘A Harvest of Thorns’ by Corban Addison

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‘A Harvest of Thorns’ is the new novel by Corban Addison.Photo: amazon

Corban Addison is an attorney, activist, world traveler and author who supports numerous humanitarian causes including the abolition of modern slavery, gender-based violence and HIV/AIDS. This latest novel ‘A Harvest of Thorns’ was released in January which was also National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. It tells the story of a factory fire in Bangladesh and the picture of one of its young victims that unmasked the abuses and working conditions that factory workers face.

‘A Harvest of Thorns’ begins with the Prologue set in Bangladesh at the Millennium Fashions Factory where a fire breaks out and claims the lives of hundreds of workers, most of them women. Two of those victims are Nasima and her younger sister Sonia. Nasima dies but Sonia survives by jumping out of the building and over her mouth is a mask made from pants belonging to an American retailer, Presto Omnishops Corporation. When Cameron Alexander, one of Presto’s employees, finds out he sets out to investigate but when he takes his findings to his bosses they ignore him. He has no choice but to rely on Joshua Griswold, a disgraced former journalist from the Washington Post who takes the information and uses to launch an investigation of his own. What follows is a historic case against Presto in the courtroom and the media that Joshua sees as his redemption and Cameron hopes will ease his guilty social conscience.

It is both a courtroom drama and an eye-opening account of working conditions, the enslavement of workers and the abuses that women suffer overseas at these manufacturing factories. Even though it is a work of fiction it makes readers aware that conditions such as these still exist and that they should at least stop and consider where their clothes come from. In the author’s note at the end he lists ways in which conscientious consumers can get involved and make a difference. The subject matter is intriguing and the language and pace of the story makes it a quick and easy read. There is enough character development to make them relatable and helps readers empathize with their stories. ‘A Harvest of Thorns’ by Corban Addison is recommended for socially conscious readers who want to widen their knowledge of worker and human rights.

*A copy of this book was given for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are solely the author’s.

Book review: ‘The Bazaar of Bad Dreams’ by Stephen King

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‘The Bazaar of Bad Dreams’ is Stephen King’s newest collection of short stories.

Stephen King is the bestselling author of more than fifty books and is known the world over as the master of horror. He received the 2014 National Medal of the Arts and the 2003 National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters. His body of work includes everything from short stories to full size novels that can be more than 1,000 pages long. Most recently he has written The Bill Hodges Trilogy: ‘Mr Mercedes,’ ‘Finders Keepers’ and ‘End of Watch,’ ‘Doctor Sleep’ and the collection of short stories ‘The Bazaar of Bad Dreams.’

This collection of stories have the universal themes of mortality, the afterlife, guilt and the questions of what would people do if they could see the future or go back and correct mistakes that they have made. Long time King readers, who he describes as ‘Constant Readers’ know that he starts each book with an introduction that describes what they are about to read. In these introductions he addresses the ‘Constant Reader’ and the tone is familiar, as if they have known each other for years.

“Everything you see is handcrafted, and while I love each and every item, I’m happy to sell them, because I made them especially for you. Feel free to examine them, but please be careful. The best of them have teeth.”

In this particular collection he also starts each story with comments on when, why and how each story was written, or in some cases rewritten. There is a total of twenty stories including Mile 81, Premium Harmony, Batman and Robin Have an Altercation, The Dune, Bad Little Kid, A Death, The Bone Church, Morality, Afterlife, Ur, Herman Wouk Is Still Alive, Under the Weather, Blockade Billy, Mister Yummy, Tommy, The Little Green God of Agony, That Bus Is Another World, Obits, Drunken Fireworks and Summer Thunder. As with any other collection of works, some appeal to readers while others may miss the mark completely. Standouts include Mile 81, which is similar to ‘Christine,’ Afterlife where the main character repeatedly relives his life and death with no chance to change anything and Ur where a Kindle is a portal to a parallel world. There is even a narrative poem in the mix ‘The Bone Church’ which proves that even Mr King has written poetry. Overall ‘The Bazaar of Bad Dreams’ will appeal to his faithful readers even though some stories are weaker than the others. It makes a perfect addition to any Stephen King library.

Book review: ‘The Waiting Room’ by Leah Kaminsky

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‘The Waiting Room’ is the debut novel by Leah Kaminsky

Leah Kaminsky is a physician, an award winning author of poetry, short stories and literary non-fiction and the poetry and fiction editor at the Medical Journal of Australia. She edited ‘Writer M.D.,’ an anthology of contemporary doctor-writers and is the author of the award-winning poetry collection ‘Stitching Things Together.’ ‘The Waiting Room: A Novel’ is her debut novel about an Australian doctor named Dina who was born to Holocaust survivors and struggles to cope with daily life in Haifa.

‘The Waiting Room’ chronicles a day in the life of Dina, the daughter of Holocaust survivors whose daily life in Israel includes difficult patients, a six year old son and another one on the way, a strained marriage, the ghost of her dead mother and the ever present threat of a terrorist attack. It is the personal journey of a woman whose past is interwoven with her present as she learns to deal with her mother’s traumatic experiences. The story begins with a Prologue that recounts a memory from her past. Chapter 1 has Dina busy at work gathering evidence at a crime scene and Chapter 2 rewinds the action to six hours earlier and the beginning of the longest day in her life. The scenes where she interacts with her dead mother show how important and influential family is in her decision making.

It is not often that readers get a front row seat to witness daily life in Israel where citizens live under the constant threat of a terrorist attack yet they still go on with their day. This is evident as the radio announcement issues an alert for a possible attack as casually as it does the weather report when Dina and her family are getting ready in the morning. When the attack does come it is impossible not to feel the fear and dismay that the citizens experience. Overall it is a heartbreaking and poignant story of a woman who is close to her breaking point but somehow manages to keep it together. The action flows effortlessly through the pages making it hard to put down. ‘The Waiting Room’ by Leah Kaminsky is an easy to read novel and recommended for readers looking to gain insight into the Israeli conflict and the Holocaust experience from the survivors’ point of view.

*A copy of this book was given for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are solely the author’s.

Book review: ‘No Place to Pray’ by James Carpenter

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‘No Place to Pray’ is the new novel by James Carpenter. Photo: amazon.com

James Carpenter began his career teaching middle and high school English. After fourteen years teaching computer programming, system design and entrepreneurship at The Wharton School he retired to write fiction. His writing has appeared in publications such as “The Chicago Tribune,” “Fiction International,” “Fifth Wednesday Journal,” “North Dakota Quarterly” and “Ambit.” Three of his stories were nominated for the Pushcart Prize and he is a recipient of Descant’s Frank O’Connor Prize. His new novel ‘No Place to Pray’ tells the story of two young men who meet when they spend a night in the same jail cell.

This is a Southern gothic tale about two young men, LeRoy who is bi-racial and Harmon who is white. LeRoy comes from a poor background and never knew his father because his mother was a prostitute. When they both end up in jail overnight they end up becoming the best of friends. They share a lifetime of experiences that includes working together and drinking together. Towards the end of Harmon’s life they both become involved with Edna, a wealthy widow who takes them into her vacation home by the river. Their stories are similar in the sense that they both have a hard life and struggle to survive and rely on alcohol to help them cope which only makes life more difficult for them. The people and experiences that make up their lives are intertwined with race, class and religion.

‘No Place to Pray’ by James Carpenter is a gritty and dark tale of American life peppered with issues dealing with class, race, alcoholism and friendships that endure the test of time. It contains adult language and situations that may not be appropriate for all readers. The story is told through a series of flashbacks and has shifting points of view mixed in with LeRoy’s fantasy and adventure stories. At times this makes it hard to follow the story but it does not take away from the richness and impact of the overall tale. The characters are relatable and well developed and the prose is rich with imagery. It is recommended for fans of Southern gothic stories that deal with deep friendships, survival, as well as race and class struggles.

*A copy of this book was given for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are solely the author’s.

Book review: ‘The Other Einstein’ by Marie Benedict

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‘The Other Einstein’ is Marie Benedict’s historical fiction novel about Albert Einstein’s first wife. Photo: amazon.com

Marie Benedict is a lawyer and, with the pen name Heather Terrell, author of historical novels such as ‘The Chrysalis,’ ‘The Map Thief,’ and ‘Brigid of Kildare.’ Her most recent novel ‘The Other Einstein’ was released in October. It is a historical novel about Mileva “Mitza” Marić, Albert Einstein’s first wife and whose contributions to the special theory of relativity have been the subject of much debate for more than a century.

‘The Other Einstein’ tells the story of a brilliant young woman whose story was lost in Einstein’s shadow. At the age of twenty she is the only woman studying physics at an elite school in Zürich while other women her age are already married with children. She is determined to master physics and mathematics and has put marriage and friendships on the backburner to achieve her dreams. Her parents, particularly her father, have always encouraged her pursuit of a higher education. This was partly because she has a limp due to a bad hip so they feared she would never have suitors and would have to rely on herself. Everything is going well until she catches the eye of a fellow student. His name is Albert Einstein and he promises to treat her as an equal in both love and science. He keeps his promise at first but due to difficult circumstances they eventually grow apart and go their separate ways.

Very little is known about Mileva “Mitza” Marić so it is worth noting that ‘The Other Einstein’ is a fictional account of her early life. It is told from her point of view and gives readers an insight into what it must have been like to be a woman trying to have it all in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The story flows effortlessly and the characters are well developed and relatable. At the end there is a Q and A section with the author that is worth reading to get background information about her research and views on the book’s subjects. This would make an interesting choice for a book club and the reading group guide’s questions are sure to get the conversation going. It is recommended for fans of historical fiction centered on intellectual female characters.

*A copy of this book was given for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are solely the author’s.

Book review: ‘Law and Disorder’ by Mike Papantonio

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Mike Papantonio is a prominent trial attorney and co-host of Ring of Fire, a nationally syndicated weekly radio talk show, along with Robert F Kennedy, Jr and Sam Seder where he is known as ‘America’s lawyer.’ His new legal thriller ‘Law and Disorder’ was released in September of last year and tells the story of a highly successful Florida attorney who suddenly finds the system working against him.

In ‘Law and Disorder’ Nicholas “Deke” Deketomis is a successful attorney who despite coming from a humble background has built a successful practice where he defends the rights of the innocent in the form of multimillion dollar lawsuits. While in the middle of a highly publicized lawsuit against a powerful pharmaceutical company he makes the wrong kind of enemies including the local bible thumpers, a district attorney out to win at any cost and two corrupt brothers who own one of the country’s biggest oil corporations. To bring Deke down they plan to set him up on a murder charge and during the murder trial which becomes a media circus he must find a way to exonerate himself before his family becomes the next target.

‘Law and Disorder’ by Mike Papantonio is a fast paced legal thriller and an impressive addition to the genre. Readers get an in-depth look at the justice system from the inside out. The author makes the legal jargon and courtroom drama easy to understand and even though the characters are diverse they are relatable and well developed. Given the progressive themes of the story it is disappointing to have the housekeeper character be a Hispanic woman driving a burrito-stained jalopy and speaking in broken English. Aside from that it is an enjoyable read with enough plot twists to keep the story from becoming predictable. It is recommended for fans legal thrillers but it should be noted that the main character is a progressive liberal and that might turn off the more conservative readers.

*A copy of this book was given for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are solely the author’s.

 

Book review: ‘Bedlam’s Door’ by Mark Rubinstein, MD

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‘Bedlam’s Door’ by Mark Rubinstein, MD is a collection of true stories.

It is interesting when authors take the experiences in their professional lives and use them to guide their writing. Whether they are medical doctors, lawyers or psychiatrists, these experience give their writing credibility and depth. One such author is Mark Rubinstein. He is a physician, psychiatrist and assistant professor of psychiatry who writes mysteries and thrillers about people driven by forces they cannot control. Some of these include “Mad Dog House,” “The Lovers’ Tango” and “Mad Dog Justice” which was a finalist for the ForeWord Book of the Year Award. He has also written five nonfiction medical advice books. His latest book is “Bedlam’s Door: True Tales of Madness and Hope.” It is a collection of true stories of patients that the author and his colleagues saw in psychiatric consultation or for treatment.

In the preface to “Bedlam’s Door” Mr Rubinstein states that as is often the case where true cases are presented and to protect those involved, the patients and facilities are composites of real patients and locations. That does not make the stories any less poignant or shocking as they take the reader deep into the world of mental illness. Each of the fourteen cases is presented separately and most come with an afterword that gives additional information such as treatment or analysis of the patient’s condition and what happened to the patient in the long run. Some of the ones that stand out include “A Man of Means” because no one ever found out what was wrong with this patient and “When a Patient Knows More Than the Doctor” because the patient came in asking for help because she feared she might harm herself but was sent away with no treatment and ended up killing herself. The patient in “Off the Wall” comes in suicidal and even though he is put in a straitjacket and every precaution is taken to prevent him from killing himself he rams himself again a wall and dies of a head trauma.

“Bedlam’s Door” by Mark Rubinstein MD reads like a collection of short stories but these are true stories of patients who required mental help. They are each interesting on their own but as a whole it is an impressive look at mental illness. Hopefully this will lessen the stigma attributed to mental illness in modern society. It is recommended for readers who appreciate an in-depth look into a psychiatrist’s point of view as well as the treatments given. For those wishing to learn more about psychiatry, psychology and mental illness there is a section of suggested readings at the end as well as a glossary of terms used.

*A copy of this book was given for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are solely the author’s.

Book review: ‘Infamy’ by Robert K Tanenbaum

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‘Infamy’ by Robert K Tanenbaum is the latest book in the Butch Karp-Marlene Ciampi series. Photo: amazon

 

Robert K Tanenbaum is a trial attorney and The New York Times bestselling author of thirty one books which include twenty-eight novels and three nonfiction books. He is best known for the popular Butch Karp-Marlene Ciampi series. The series begins with “No Lesser Plea” and his most current novel “Infamy” marks the twenty-eight and features prosecutors Butch Karp and his wife Marlene Ciampi. This time they team up to solve the murder of a US Army coronel while facing corruption at the highest levels of the United States government.

“Infamy” begins with the Prologue that has the jury about to deliver a verdict in a New York courtroom. From there it goes back eleven months to the Middle East where several people are killed in what becomes the beginning of a political cover up. Back in the states a former Army veteran suddenly murders three people in Central Park before giving himself up. After fleeing the scene he ends up at the Central Park Zoo where he takes hostages and claims he shot those people because he was being used in mind control experiments and was set up. He asks for immunity and in return he offers to name names and gives the operation code name ‘mirage.’ As Karp gets involved he finds that the corruption surrounding the case puts him, his friends and even his family in danger but he is determined to find those responsible.

Even though this is the latest in a long line of Butch Karp-Marlene Ciampi novels it is not necessary to be familiar with the characters or their backstory to enjoy or understand the story. It is a fast paced political thriller that combines courtroom drama with politics and is hard to put down. The action flows from chapter to chapter and is easy to follow. Mr Tanenbaum makes good use of dialogue to move the story along and the language is easy to understand without being too simplistic. “Infamy” by Robert K Tanenbaum is recommended for fans of legal and political thrillers similar to John Grisham.

*A copy of this book was given for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are solely the author’s.

Book review: ‘One Man’s Purpose’ by Stephen D Senturia

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‘One Man’s Purpose’ is Stephen D Senturia’s debut novel about the life of a professor at a fictional university.

Stephen D Senturia is a former Professor of Electrical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. As an author he has written textbooks and scientific papers and co-edited two journals and two book series. His first novel, “One Man’s Purpose,” is about a Professor at the fictional Cambridge Technology Institute and is based on his own experiences as a professor and educator.

In “One Man’s Purpose,” Martin Quint is a Professor at the Cambridge Technology Institute and at the top of his academic career. The story chronicles an academic year in his life that includes being a tenured professor, lecturing in his Circuits and Electronics course, rumors of a plagiarism scandal, competing against the rise of online courses and the politics behind tenure appeals. On top of that, he has to juggle his personal life of a sick father and a second marriage with a baby on the way. It is divided into four parts: Part I: Spring Term, 2013, Part II: Summer, 2013, Part III: Fall Term, 2013 and Part IV: Thereafter.

The author’s debut novel is a detailed account about what life in academia is like while trying to balance a personal life. Martin has his hands full with being a teacher, a researcher, a father with another child on the way and as a mentor dealing with a junior female colleague’s critical tenure case. This makes him believable and relatable because in today’s fast paced world most people have to juggle a work and family life. The story is easy to follow and understand but sometimes the academic terms and vocabulary can get confusing. Overall there is sufficient balance between the academic and the personal to appeal to most readers. The subplot dealing with the theft of confidential information that is posted online is of particular interest given modern news headlines about hackings. “One Man’s Purpose” by Stephen D Senturia is a rare look into the inner workings of a university and the average professor’s struggles to remain relevant. It is recommended for readers interested in learning more about these subjects.

*A copy of this book was given for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are solely the author’s.

Book review: ‘All the Time in the World’ by Caroline Angell

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‘All the Time in the World’ is the debut novel by Caroline Angell. Photo: amazon.com

Caroline Angell is a New York native with a B.A. in musical theater from American University. She is a playwright and director and has had her work performed at regional theaters in New York City and the Washington, D.C. area. “All the Time in the World: A Novel” is her debut novel and it was released earlier this year. It is about a young woman’s choice between the future she always envisioned for herself and the people who have become an important part of her life.

“All the Time in the World” is the story of Charlotte who is a promising music student but after experiencing some setbacks in her career takes a job as a nanny. She goes to work for Gretchen and Scotty, a glamorous Upper East Side Manhattan, while she figures out her next move as a composer in New York. As time goes by she comes to enjoy taking care of Matt and George, the couple’s young sons, and her life comes to revolve around them. All is well until Gretchen dies in an accident and she is faced with having to continue being the children’s caretaker to make sure their lives do not get further upended. The first part revolves around the children and their lives that include school, home and friends. The second part is more about human connections and how they each deal with loss.

Overall the action is fast paced and easy to read but sometimes the timeline gets confusing because the author switches between the past and the present. The universal themes of grief, love and hope are combined with humor to make it appeal to the average reader. There are extensive character interactions and developments which advance the story at an acceptable pace. It is recommended for readers who enjoy coming of age novels that contain the day to day detailed interactions with small children.

*A copy of this book was given for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are solely the author’s.