catch-up on reviews

A Graphic Novel

I'm a year behind in writing book reviews. Many of the books I read were popular and have no need for my support, so I'll just mention a few I really enjoyed.

• Derf Backderf's Kent State - the first graphic novel I've read! Yes, I read comic books as a kid. Graphic novels, at least this one, go WAY past that. He did a phenomenal amount of research and presented the events from multiple points of view. This was a key event in my lifetime. I'm shocked at the young people I've met who never heard of it. If you haven't, check out this graphic novel.

• Kimberly McCreight's Like Mother, Like Daughter - the separate threads make it comparable to my Running Away: Maggie's Story. Of course I liked it!

• Freida McFadden, The Teacher. Another story told in two voices. Topic and characters fit in with my women's books, but it starts with a murder mystery. Good twists, too.

• Chris Whitaker's All the Colors of the Dark. At over 500 pages, it did drag a bit here and there, but the story was excellent with lots of good layers and twists. Whenever I considered putting it aside, I kept going to see how the author fit all those plot lines together at the end.

• Kristen Hannah's The Women: A Novel. Having grown up a contemporary of the main character, her personal conflicts resonated. She did a remarkable job making the reader experience being an RN in Vietnam. While I read some complaints about lack of fairness in her portrayal of homecoming, this is fiction, and the character's experience reflects the experience of some, not all those who came home from Vietnam.

• Gordon Carroll, Sheepdogs: Keeping the Wolves at Bay. I believe I did actually review this at Amazon, Goodreads, and Bookbub. Definitely entertaining, and I still need to contact the author to see how his giveaway program worked.

That's not every book I read. I'll try to keep up better once my newsletter's going.

There were also three books I reviewed elsewhere that were self-published or published by small operations.

Abby's Fire, A Mt. Prospect Mystery by Corinne Malcolm Ibeling and R. I. Partridge

• Abby's Fire - R.I. Partridge and Corinne Malcolm Ibeling. R.I. is Rebecca Inch-Partridge, who also does out of this world sci fi books. This one, however, is grounded in a small midwestern town that is clearly portrayed - very real. Then the main character starts seeing dead people and feels compelled to find out what REALLY happened to them. But she doesn't want to seem crazy, because she wants to get her boys back from their father, who moved them away from her while she was undergoing treatment for burns sustained when their house burned down a year earlier. I look forward to more from this duo.

  

  The Witch Club - A Scottish Witches Mystery by Felicity Green

• The Witch Club - Felicity Green. I read this with a critical eye, as a judge, and recommended it highly. This is a well-written page turner with a paranormal edge.

  
  

  

  Force of Nature - Three Women Tackle the John Muir Trail by Joan M. Griffin

  
  

• The Force of Nature - Joan M. Griffin. This is a detailed description of Joan's experience hiking the John Muir Trail. As someone who prefers having the adventure myself, I ended up skimming here and there. However, the detail provides a vicarious experience for those who will never undertake such an adventure themselves and preparation for backcountry hikers considering the JMT. Since Joan did this as a "mature" woman with a couple women friends, it is also inspiring for those who might think they're too old for adventure.

reading for writers: Community Board by Tara Conklin

In Community Board, Tara Conklin takes us inside the major depression of a woman whose husband has left her for another woman - yet she manages to make the story entertaining! The character isolates herself in her parent's empty home, eating only the canned goods her mother still stocks in what was a bomb shelter. Excerpts from a community board are her main contact with the outside world - and are the quirky sort of conversations you'd find on a Facebook community page. Also included are unfinished emails the woman writes to her husband, often about the hairiness of his new lover. The ending is quite satisfactory as well.

For writers this is worth reading because of the structure of the book - using social media excerpts within a larger narrative - and the use of humor in a serious story.

All the light we cannot see by Anthony Doerr

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr is an excellent novel looking at World War II from multiple perspectives - different people at different times. Jumping back and forth in years works nicely: going forward increases tension, going back gives depth.

Short chapters help maintain pace.

I recommend this for anyone who enjoys reading historical fiction.

If you're a writer, it's well worth reading to examine the structure.