Sandra C. Lopez's Blog, page 381

Review: THE FEAST OF SAN SEBASTIAN by Jonathan Marcantoni

Our top cop was in his position for only a month when the students at La UPI went on strike. He had his cops shut off the electricity, the AC, and the water going into the campus, as well as blocked any food from coming in. After the strike was over, the students held another protest on the steps of the Capitol, so he ordered the police to tear gas them. He’s in the pockets of North American developers who order him to raid poor neighborhoods in order to relocate the residents and turn their communities into beach resorts. This man is the most corrupt person on the island, which is no easy task. What I am asking of you two, in exchange for your freedom, is to assassinate Aurelio Oviedo Narvaez.




My thoughts: Raw and blunt—those are the first words that come to mind when reading this book. Diving deep into the underground politics of Puerto Rico, this book carries a dialogue dripping with savage flavor along with an informal writing style full of character.
Inspired by a published study, this book read like a newspaper article—stoic and indifferent relaying just the pertinent highlights of events. It pretty much preaches at you with political outrage.  Quite frankly, I’m not too partial on a book that screams out at me like a drill army sergeant. I like to be absorbed by the story, get to know the characters (whether I like them or not), and follow along in the life span of the book.
In all honesty, I was somewhat confused when I read the back summary. I really couldn’t tell what it was about. Was it a mystery, a thriller, or what?  Did it involve a cop, a bomb, a raid? And who was Narvaez? Why was he so special?
Like any new dish, I like to give anything a small taste to see how it is; but, in the end, this book was not my chocolate pudding. It's definitely suited more for the palate of the political and societal elite. 

Review: WAKING UP MARRIED by Mira Lyn Kelly

My thoughts: Megan has woken up to a nightmare—she woke up with the worst hangover ever, half naked, next to a guy that is…her husband! Yikes!  The reader then goes on a wild expedition to the preceding events to find out how this all happened.   Both on the rebound from a recent break-up, Connor and Megan hook up at one of the classic hook-up spots: a bar, where inhibitions are freed through the power of martinis.  As I had suspected beforehand, the whole “waking up married” was blamed on one silly, drunken Las Vegas night—what basically happens when people get stupid and lose all forms of self-control (not the best decision-maker.)   The first thing I noticed was Connor’s insane cockiness. How could it be missed? His arrogance practically jumped out of the page and flapped around in your face—very annoying. However, his genuine interest in the girl-next-door type seemed sincere, even though the first thing that piqued his interest was her sinuous body.  Still, there was something about him that provokes the reader to get to know him. I loved how protective he becomes with her.   What I liked best about Megan was her sensibility (even though she practiced none of that on her drunken night,) while Connor was absolutely senseless—insane, really! The marriage was “not about love…it’s about liking each other”? Oh, yeah, that was a really good reason to get hitched.  Even for companionship? Insane!  I must give Connor credit for convincing Megan to give it a chance, but I also agreed with Megan that he was “too good to be true.” I honestly thought he was being Mr. Perfect with trying too hard to show her that he was the one—it was unrealistic and sickening. The way I figure: true lovers shouldn’t have to try so hard. Boy, was I glad when Megan gave him the inclination that she might not be what he thought. How can anyone know a person in one night? I did, however, enjoy seeing Megan torture Connor with her algae mask and waxing rituals—showdowns of what he’d be coming home to every night. Yep, that was marriage.   In the essence of all the insanity, this story was just like any other Harlequin romance—boy meets girl, love at first sight, love on the rocks, then the unyielding of the "can’t-live-without-you" finale.  It’s another one of those sappy stories good for those love lovers, not a skeptic like me. Of course you know how it’s going to end. Duh! 

Review: THE GIRL WITH NO NAME by Iscah

If you had the ability to transform into anything, what would it be? This is the fate of the girl with no name, a shape-shifter.
While the townspeople seemed frighten by the child that can turn into cats and cooking pots, her keeper is the one that comes to her defense and stays by her side until his death, which forces her to flee the town.
Gourlin was an interesting place; I like how it had a policy of teaching kids to read –now, that’s my kind of country! One thing that was irksome was that the story was full of unknown characters, which I thought detached the reader from the plot. There were characters like “bookseller” and the “black-bearded man”—no one really had a name, except for the prince. And, although I am not really into tales about castles and princes, this book still isolates itself from the traditional “happy ending,” which I thought was rather unique.   
This was like reading one of Grimm’s fairy tales combined with Shelley’s Frankenstein. It is all about a search to discover who was “the girl with no name” and what was her purpose. Her quest seemed to take a rather long time as she consistently kept asking people questions about the father she never knew. She was smart and courageous, and learned to protect herself well.  It’s a cute, well-written story.  Fascinating cover, too!

Review: THE ROCKIN' CHAIR by Steven Manchester

Many reviewers compared this book to those of Nicholas Sparks, whom I'm really not too fond of, but I decided to give it a try anyhow.

 Something was wrong with Alice. In the beginning, I couldn't decipher whether she was dreaming or crazy. The first chapter had me confused with the constant back-and-forth notion―but that is usually the way it feels with Alzheimer's.

The chair was a tombstone of cherished memories and forgotten lives. It was the thing that always provided John with comfort and pensive sorrow. Lately, he has been sitting for long hours, quietly rocking in a paralyzed state with his mind full of worry and fear over the disease that has been taking his beloved Alice away. It was stated simply that "[Alice] had become an apparition in the flesh, a ghost locked within the familiar frame." (25)
 The story was nothing but memories that get dragged out by every member of the family and play on the minds like a broken record. Each section was recited in the POV of every main character, each one bringing one more demonic skeleton out of the closet that wrecked havoc on the emotions. The book was mainly a typhoon of emotions circling around the Alzheimer's, the war, and loss.

To think that family was the magical cure for life's problems was kind of naive. However, I liked how each character's flaws were rendered with emphatic resonance and frail honesty. Big John's barnyard lessons were cleverly correlated with the kids' problems. Suddenly it was up to Big John to fix them all like if he was Jesus or something, which was probably why there was a lot of praying in the story.  
 Ultimately, this story was all about getting over loss and heart ache―in other words, "to get back on the horse." Manchester's words painted a vibrant picture of the dirt-slappin', fly-swattin' country farm life of Montana. However, his descriptions of emotions might have been a tad too "fruity" for my taste. Now I get the Nicholas Sparks reference.

Review: FUN AND GAMES by David Michael Slater

"When opportunity has knockers," then it's a definitive chance to read this book. (6)
 Jake, Cory, Milo, and Jonathan were all unruly, young boys that are reminiscent of The Sandlot kids―funny, charismatic, and just plain curious about girls.  
 Explicitly told from the memory of Jonathan, this colorful tale relays the simple ups and downs of a boy's coming-of-age process while sulking in the battling throes of Judaism between his narrow-minded father and tenacious rabbi. Why was there so much talk on this religion? It was a tad uninteresting at times. Although I was a bit amused when the dad stated to the rabbi that he was "naked" beneath the clothing of his religion. Wow, what a fascinating zinger! Still, this did not seem to faze Jonathan, who wanted nothing more than to score high on a Purity Test―a secret game he had concocted with his friends.  However, the Jewish theme still managed to play an important role in Jonathan's "game," like the dybbuk―"an evil, wandering spirit in Jewish folklore"―that seemed to possess his family. (85) It seemed that Jonathan was the only sane one in the bunch.    

While dealing with the oddballs of his life and all the secrets that stumble out of the family closet, Jonathan tries to grapple with his growing pains and a search for his own identity. His is a story that takes him through the zany hurdles of high school all the way to college, where he meets this kooky professor that dissects the word "cat" on the first day. Weird, huh? But then again it was college, where beer bongs and promiscuity were plentiful.

Religion played a major role in this book―all the emotion and drama seemed to stem from it.  Truth be told, I am not all that into religion and I am certainly not moved by it; however, I was pleased to find out that lurking beneath all that God talk, there was an actual story there, one that was engaging enough to hold my attention. The funniest pun you can think of as you read this is: Boys will be boys (which means they'll basically act like idiots.) But what I liked best about these boys was how they looked out for each other through the good, bad, and remorseful. Still, you can't help but think what a bunch of cry-babies they were at times. I also found the tangled mess in the end to be confusing (I actually had to re-read a couple of parts to fully understand.) On a final note, the book could've used some more editing. Overall, I'd say it was a light and enjoyable read.

Welcome Back!

I'M BACK!

I have left Rome and got on a plane, where I spent a dozen hours flying across the ocean. The food was terrible--it was right along the same levels as hospital food with its mushy texture and synthetic quality. It might as well have been a Cup O' Noodles. Actually, a Cup O' Noodles would have been preferable. The last thing they served us was a pasta al pesto, which was this crinkly pasta with dry, green sauce. I had taken two bites before shoving that tin tray aside in mild repugnance.

With only a few more hours of flight time, I sat there with an empty stomach, crushed within the tight enclosure of the surrounding passengers. My back was aching and my legs were cramped. I eagerly watched the monitor above as the tiny plane image drew closer and closer to the L.A. star. When was this freaking plane going to land?

Then the seat belt sign lit up, which meant we were going to land soon. Oh, thank god!

Once the nose dipped and the plane began its descend, my organs practically shot up and whirled inside my head. The air was thin, and nausea began to take its toll. Whoa, where's the barf bag? I wondered.

Down and down we went until finally we landed on solid ground. I clapped and cheered knowing that I was out of the air and on U.S. soil. I jolted out of my seat, awaiting the crew to open those doors. Once they gave us the go-ahead, I immediately got my bag and was out of there.

After taking in a few breaths, I walked through the narrow passageways to get to security check and baggage claim. It was quite a trip in itself. When I got there, there were loads of people wanting to get into the country. My goodness!

I waited in line for about 30-40 minutes, it seemed. My security officer was this young, rugged, handsome guy with a tattoo on his bicep. Hubba-hubba! He asked me all kinds of questions, like if I was traveling alone and if I had brought back any alcohol. By the time we had completed the process, he ended it by returning my passport and saying, "Welcome back."

A wind of relief swept over me as I walked away with my arms stretched out to the side and my head tilted upward, thinking, "Yes, I'm back, California--my wonderful home!" I almost felt like hugging and kissing the ground, but I was way too exhausted.

ARRIVEDERCI!

I wanted to let my readers and followers know that I heading off to Italy for the next couple of months. I will not be accepting any new review submissions until the summer.  Until then, keep reading and keep following! Buona fortuna!   

Review: TRICERATOPS by Marcus Gorman

My thoughts: Why was this book called “Triceratops”? There were no dinosaurs in it. I almost wished there were. But right off the bat, the girl describes sexual discrepancies between the other guys and this Xavier, her roommate artist/boyfriend. Admittedly, I was a tad grossed out by it. Still, it was the savage dialogue—raw and untamed against the bleakness of domestication—that provoked me to read on.

Gorman writes with such laid-back magnetism dripping with a dark and comedic punch that is often reminiscent of Salinger’s poignant tale, The Catcher in the Rye. Gripping and funny!

Mainly told from the views of both Henry and Charlotte, this book takes you through the gritty alleys deep in the heart of New York City. Their pitfalls were often summarized with mindless jabber, which, at times, left me dazed. Sometimes I thought they were just idiots. Who keeps a canvas with splattered brains?
 What I liked most about the two main characters was their utter knack for the cold truth. For instance, in the moment when Charlotte spots Henry for the very first time, she states it plainly and simply: “This isn’t a heavenly sign that we should walk down the aisle, exchange vows, hold hands, and wander into the sunset. Because this is real life. This is real life fucking with me. It’s laughing in my face.” (pg. 50)

The author’s expertise in music, film, and television was evident with the many references interspersed throughout, and I enjoyed how they mingled within the story.

My only aversion was that every chapter was written in the first person POV of a character, usually someone other than Charlotte or Henry. It was sometimes hard to tell which character was speaking.  And why were we even getting the points of view from other people? I thought this story was supposed to be centered on Henry and Charlotte. Instead I learned of an eccentric clan of characters, which I guess are common around New York.  I would include that I couldn’t truly empathize with any of them.
 At first, you really think this story is about a bunch of idiots getting high or drunk, but then you find a deeper meaning beneath that wretched layer of barren mediocrity. For these young people, life is about getting through the bad and learning to appreciate the small good, whether it be a night at a museum or a tour through (the real) TV land. Gorman particularly said it best: “There are worse ways to live…It’s better than having a life revolving around a terrible job, a life revolving around a bad family life, a life revolving around deep, upsetting loss.” (pg. 141)

Review: SOUNDS LIKE CRAZY by Shana Mahaffey

Story: Though she doesn’t remember the trauma that caused it, Holly Miller has Dissociative Identity Disorder. Her personality has fractured into five different identities, together known as The Committee. And as much as they make Holly’s life hell, she can’t live without them.

Then one of those identities, the flirtatious, southern Betty Jane, lands Holly a voiceover job. Betty Jane wants nothing more than to be in the spotlight. The rest of The Committee wants Betty Jane to shut up. Holly’s therapist wants to get to the bottom of her broken psyche. And Holly? She’s just along for the ride…



My Thoughts: What would it be like to have 5 people living inside your head A.K.A. “Multiple Personality Disorder?” How would it feel like to do things you’ve never thought of doing and sometimes not even remember doing them? How would it feel to have your actions controlled by someone else and, in the end, take the blame for it?


Holly can’t seem to get it together, not with all the people living in her head. Then, after her birthday, she makes a New Year’s resolution to stop messing around. But, like she said, “The resolve behind the New Year’s resolutions usually falters after 24 hours.” (pg. 25) This is so TRUE! People always say they're going to quit this and that, but, by mid-January, they always "fall off the wagon."

I often wonder if there is really anything wrong with talking to yourself. If it doesn’t hurt anyone, is it really wrong? If it keeps people from going on a killing spree, I’d say go ahead. Craziness saves lives.

At various times, there was a feeble attempt at humor, which was lacking in depth. I mean, I understood where she was trying to go with it, but it wasn’t enough to break a chuckle.

The entire story consists of nothing but the whiny banter of these voices trapped in Holly’s head. God, they must’ve given her lots of headaches (I know I got a few in the course of this book.)

Overall, I thought Holly was a spoiled brat, who wanted things to be done for her. I really felt that she never wanted to do the voice-over gig—she really didn’t want to do anything, to put it frankly—and I have absolutely no tolerance for people like that. I actually kind’ve empathized with the older sister, Sarah, the one who always has to take care of things and clean up the messes.

This book was okay, but I just thought that it should’ve been a short story; it just wasn’t interesting enough for a novel. What was the point really? The character was just nuts! It was an interesting theme, and the writer reflected great skills, but I just didn’t enjoy the story as much as I thought I would.

Review: GOOD NIGHT, BRIAN by Steven Manchester

Story: Fate was working against little Brian Mauretti. The food that was meant to nourish him was poisoning him instead, and the doctors said the damage was devastating and absolute. Fate had written off Brian. But fate didn’t count on a woman as determined as Brian’s grandmother, Angela DiMartino, who everyone knew as Mama. Loving her grandson with everything she had, Mama endeavored to battle fate. Fate had no idea what it was in for.

An emotional tale about the strength of family bonds, unconditional love, and the perseverance to do our best with the challenging gifts we receive, GOODNIGHT, BRIAN is an uplifting tribute to what happens when giving up is not an option.



My thoughts: This is a story about love and family fueled by the good ole' fashion country dialogue you feel when sinking your teeth into a heaping slice of apple pie--full of heart and warmth. You can't help but feel the same mother's instinct Joan feels--the overbearing concern over Brian's waning health, the pounding struggles in trying to figure out the cause, and the frustration of nobody taking her seriously (especially the doctors.)

After the invasive medical tests and lab works, we discover that Brian has a rare disease that will prevent him from walking, talking, and perhaps even living. A powerful force of anger and tears barrels the reader in a quick instant, leaving no chance to breathe. It was overwhelming.

Overall, the book was well-written and endearing, but, at the same time, it was emotionally draining and sad--perhaps a bit too sad. It was just one depressing hurdle after another, a pattern I found rather difficult to get through. I made every attept to trudge through it, often skipping some of the hopeless infractions along the way. By the end, I was left with nothing more than a pitter patter of lassitude and despair.