Sandra C. Lopez's Blog, page 356

Review: SEVEN ELEVEN FORGOTTEN AND OTHER STORIES by Barnaby Hazen

These stories follow the life of Aaron, a quirky, run-of-the-mill cab driver.
The first story was kind of confusing in a garbled sort of way. It just sounded like the character was rambling on and on. It almost felt like I was listening to Rodney Dangerfield with his fast and senseless talk. Moving forward, the stories made less and less sense. Of course, some of his points were comical in a bungling, inept sort of way.
I thought they sounded interesting and unique when I read the summary, but, to be honest, the stories themselves sort of lost me.
My rating: 2.5 stars

Review: HOW THE WORLD TURNS by Colin Garrow

"Life does not consist of 'sort of'. Life consists of living. Living for yourself, for you.” (14)
These are a collection of soulful tales.
Colin’s words are a playful dance of poetry when describing the simplest of objects such as a shed. However, there also lies a glimmer of confusion and disparity. I mean, what kind of fool drills a hole in his head? Weird. One of the stories had a “Norman Bates” quality—a B&B keeper is still holding on to his dead wife….literally!  I thought that was a good one since I love Psycho.
Although lyrical in prose, stories can be a little vague, which, I guess, can make them open to interpretation. All in all, I liked some more than others.
 My rating: 3 stars

Review: WOMEN ON THE BRINK stories by G. Elizabeth Kretchmer

“I know, I know. This isn’t what journaling is supposed to be about. Here I am defacing these pretty pages with all this whining. Whining. You’re supposed to process your feelings with your writing; that’s what the how-to journal books say. Whatever. My feelings say my life sucks right now.” (151)
Dedicated to “anyone who ever dreamed of running away,” Women on the Brink is just what it says—it’s about women stepping out on the ledge and facing the high altitudes of the world.  
In these stories, we learn of the quiet strength and resilience of women. Whether it be from depression, boredom, sadness, or hormones, we just don’t find the fulfillment and, therefore, do not feel the happiness.
In “Skydancer,” a woman battles with her motherly instincts and a wailing child. After all, “an animal didn’t require the commitment of a lifetime. A lifetime.” (18)
“She’d known him a while by then, but only as his pilot, bringing him out to base camp and back, and that night she imagined climbing mountains, or trekking through jungles, or flying off to sunny beaches with him. She’d turned her head and looked out at the sideways snow and listened to the moaning wind, and she’d wondered why she wasn’t enjoying his touch, his sex. She’d been anxious for it to end, so that, after he left her bed, she would have her body to herself again, to hibernate for the rest of the year inside her soft, warm clothes...” (19)
“She was too upset to think, right now, about where the abandonments of her past and the responsibilities of her future might lead.” (26)
“Float Away” is told in the perspective of a young 13-year old girl branded with a school nickname; she “was a mutt without a history.” (48)
“Something about turning in that [library] card made my eyes fill up. Or maybe it was that suggestion about there being no happy endings for girls.” (50) If only she could follow the river like Huckleberry Finn.
“Like today, I’d been in bed with a bad case of what I called the alligators, those dark thoughts that swarmed about, closing in, snapping their big sharp teeth at me, much like they had been today. I had never told anyone about these feelings, or the way I thought of them metaphorically as primordial reptiles. They’d think I really was loony. But I knew I wasn’t. Just as Sylvia Plath described her own depression as an owl’s talon clenching her heart, my dark thoughts reminded me of alligators.” (73)
“Girls Against Perfection” is a testament to our inner beauty and general humanity.  It goes to show that raw potential and special talents are hidden beneath layers of blemished flaws (i.e. fat, dark skin, ratty clothes, etc.)
Of course, I enjoyed some more than others. For example, I didn’t think reading poetry to a crazed patient was helping much. While some were rich in balanced detail, others dragged on and on. I did wonder why they were sectioned off by seasons though (I didn’t think that was too relevant.)

Poetic and well-versed, these tales reveal the true endurance of woman, as deep, poignant, and lovely as can be. And, yes, written words are therapy.

My rating: 3.5 stars

Review: SMART MOUTH WAITRESS by Dalya Moons

Perry is a waitress with a super power: knowing how people like their eggs.
At 18 years old, she feels that she is missing love and craves it, doing whatever necessary to get it.
Sulky and candid, Perry is a relatable character overall. She’s funny and smart, albeit a bit dorky sometimes. She also tends to ramble on and on at times. Sometimes her mouth tends to run away from her completely. I mean, who announces to their dad that they’re ready to lose their virginity?
“The thing about having a smart mouth is I have zero control over it….while they’re figuring out what to say, I’ve already said three things, two of them socially inappropriate.” (39)
Perry is definitely a smart mouth (hence the title,) but she is also very strange. A white girl with dreads? I guess, she’s going for that individuality thing, but she kind of loses it when she tries to change herself to get a guy. She claims that she’s on a quest to find “true love,” but she’s really just looking for someone to lose her virginity to.
Her first crush is on Crosswords Guy, a regular at the diner. With the help of her friends and co-workers, she practices her flirting and tries to get a date with him. Then in comes Marc, who plays hard to get with Perry, meaning she has to work extra hard to get his attention. So she’s got two guys that don’t give her the time of day. Perry is way too hard on herself, and I don’t know why she’s killing herself to get these two guys to notice her. She’s too desperate. I mean, changing your hair, make-up, and clothing to look like Megan Fox? Supposedly that’s every guy’s fantasy. Oh, puhleeze!
Overall, this was an okay New Adult Contemporary.
My rating: 3.5 stars

Review: THE CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS WRONG by CC Standish

Conrad (A.K.A. CJ) is about to graduate high school. For his final year, he thought he’d mimic the antics of Judd Nelson in The Breakfast Club by finally getting revenge on a hated Spanish teacher. Very well done, indeed! Never one to follow the crowd, CJ always opted to map his own way, do whatever he felt like. So, obviously, he was never into any of the important stuff like voting because “politics was like organized sports to me—to quote Simon and Garfunkel: every way you look at it you lose.” (18) But, alas, high school doesn’t last forever and soon he will embark into adulthood with one thing in mind: save his money and move out of his parents’ house. Easier said than done, right? Especially when you have to start off in a fast-food and retail chain in a lowly state like Minnesota.
“Working never struck me as something that I would be very good at: I didn’t take authority seriously, I didn’t kiss up to people who got paid to talk down to others, and most importantly, I felt like I was mentally overqualified for most jobs available to someone within my age demographic.” (5)
“At 18, I couldn’t say my limited life experience had been incredibly challenging up until this point, but I managed to skate by on what I figured most people did in these situations—by bullshitting.” (21) Ah, yes, the interview, where you get to answer half-baked questions like “Where do you see yourself in 5 years?” and “What are your greatest weaknesses?”  But, hey, we need to get paid, right?
“Remember, Conrad: THE CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS RIGHT!” (21) Eeek. And, of course, you’re going to get that customer fighting to the death over the “wrong” change or a stupid return.
“Is this what it was all about? I thought. Will the next fifty years of my life consist of being tortured by some a-hole with an inferiority complex while pulling down minimum wage? A fifteen percent lunch discount? Death row prisoners have it better!” (22) Yep!
Intellectually witty and candid, The Customer is Always Wrong is a delectably humorous and bungling account of working the stale salt mines of greedy Corporate America. I loved Conrad’s snarky and sarcastic attitude. He learns that working a job is a deadpan skewer between the eyes. It’s a cold, cruel jungle out there in the real world. And he narrates it all in this well-versed, satire comedy!
 
My rating: 4 stars

Review: ADVENTURES IN FUNERAL CRASHING by Milda Harris

First off, why would you want to crash a funeral? Why go at all? Weird.

But 16-year old Kait Lenox loves funerals and, yes, it does make her a freak. But, hey, she's doing what she loves--reading, watching movies, crashing funerals. I like her!
 "You never knew where life would take you or when it would be taken from you. Carpe Diem, you know?" (LOC 122)
Kait is quirky and little neurotic; she likes to ramble senselessly, especially when she's nervous. She's basically a "social pariah" in high school.
Then a faux pas at a funeral turns into a murder investigation with a gorgeous guy. But, for Kait, it's not just a chance to be near the all-popular and beautiful Ethan, it's a chance to catch a real killer.
The possibility of a murder is interesting and hooks the reader. And as more murders dressed as heroin overdoses occured, the more opportunity there was for funeral crashing.
I liked that Kait treats the investigation with precision, craft, and smarts. I especially liked that she references books and teen movies to get her point across. And I agree that a guy that reads is super sexy!

The story is a fun mystery that embraces the whole teen awkwardness.
My rating: 4 stars
 
TBD: "Adventures of Graveyard Girl"

Review: THE STORY OF AWKWARD by R.K. Ryals

“If you are looking for a happy book about beautiful people, this is the wrong story…This story is ugly.” (Prologue)
This story is about a girl named Peregrine, a shy, introverted girl with glasses and an imperfect life, a life mirrored in the World of Awkward—a fantasy world created by her, inspired by the people she knows. This was Perri’s “easy button” to life, this was a place where she was accepted AS IS.
Known to doodle on everything, Perri departs for college. Then comes the moment where your fantasy world becomes real. So, like Dorothy and Alice, Perri inexplicably gets whisked away to the Land of Oz or Wonderland, where up was down and day was night. Strange.
“This world is built on awkwardness, on the idea that there is someplace where it’s okay to be different. Where it’s okay not to be perfect…This world lives in more than one imagination. It was simply your hand that finally gave it a face.” (44)
I wanna live in Awkward!
But Awkward is in danger, being destroyed by an evil sorceress named Perfection. I love the irony! Who would want to be perfect? Who would want to be a stereotype? The mission: To save Awkward.
At first, the idea of fairies, trolls and princesses sounds cheesy, but this story is far from it. It’s a delightfully wild and gallant adventure with heart.
In the mist of peril, Perri confronts her darkest fears and buried memories filled with heartache. A very real and touching story!
Story supports individuality, self-assurance, and, most of all, awkwardness. It’s a heaping pile of silliness, wit, and fun. It’s a bleak and blissful reminder that the child—joyous and fragile—inside never dies. This is an inspiration to “embrace your awkwardness.”
My rating: 5 stars

Review: THE SHE CODE by Chris Marie Green

Mandy is a girl who is into comics and refers to her admission of pop culture as "going into geek mode." So, basically, she's a nerd. I like her!
The She Code mirrors the lives of wild wolves and the world is full of them. Just like when you were in school, work has their groups. Well, working for a company that publishes comics, you have your "all-male artist" (of course,) number crunchers, and female admin. Mandy is a receptionist. "Witness an art degree in action." "Women are still a minority in this industry, since comics have a rep for catering to boys and their toys." (19) So relatable! 
You can't help but adore Mandy. She's quirky, funny, smart, and imaginative, but she's also shy, especially when it comes to boys. She's like a child whose idea of fun is watching TV in her jammies or playing video games. Too cool! But, just like the rest of us, she has fears and doubts. "Once I put the professional blue pencil to paper, I'd have to face the questions: What if I wasn't good enough? What if I couldn't get beyond run-of-the-mill and into something better?" (63) Ah, the struggle of an artist is all too real.
I also loved the comics in the book. I especially liked that her comic book character, Luka, inspired her to be brave. "Mandy Halsey, head in the clouds, stuck on so much fantasy in her life because reality killed." (175)
This is an engaging tribute to girl power! Witty, endearing, and inspires you to "do what you wanna do."
My rating: 5 stars

Review: OVER YOU by Christine Kersey

I think I remember reading He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not, which may have ended up in my DNF pile. But this one was a slight improvement.

Jessica just ended a relationship with Alex, who was recently caught cheating. A visit with her aunt brings more than an opportunity to mend her broken heart--it brings back an old flame that left her once. But she refuses to let Kyle break her heart again. How could he just call off an engagement without explanation? I mean, how could Kyle not even apologize for walking out on her? Then again, would an apology even cut it?
Things get more confusing when Kyle has to finish a remodel to her aunt's house. During that time, memories flood Jessica's mind, re-igniting the burning resentment and fiery passion. What's worse is that he's throwing poop in her face by walking around with his new blonde girlfriend.
Despite it all, Jessica still wants Kyle, but she constantly obsesses over him not wanting her. Why doesn't he want me? What's wrong with me? Why didn't he spend all this time pining over me and living a pathetic and lonely life? Jessica so wanted to be with Kyle and, even though she was being annoying about it, a small part of me was rooting for her.
They call this a romantic suspense. The mystery lies in the 50-year old letters Jessica finds--one I found redundant and superfluous. Why would she go through all this trouble to find the ill-conceived child from 50 years ago?
Story gets a little more compelling toward the end when it seems that someone would rather keep old secrets buried.
This simple and easy-to-follow story started off slow but then gradually accelerated to a gripping and mysterious end. I might actually check out the sequel, Second Chances.
My rating: 3.5 stars

Review: NOW AND THEN by Brenda Rothert

“I don’t need a man taking up the time I want to spend painting and reading and doing whatever else I want.” (26)
Emma is an art geek that has traveled to Europe and now works as a Graphic Designer, which automatically relates her to me.
Emma and Cole have known each other since they were kids living across the street from each other. Now, 12 years later, they bump into each other and it’s like they were never apart. A long-harbored crush resurfaces as the two get reacquainted while contending with family history and drama. Apparently, the two families are close friends and always figured that Cole would end up with Layla, Emma’s cooler, successful, older sister. But Emma and Cole can’t fight their attraction to one another.
A story of then and now, this is a tale that goes back and forth between past and present. Reader experiences the spark and passion between the two characters while reliving their past as well. Cole and Emma are just so good together.
Quick and sweet story.
My rating: 4 stars