Author Archives: J D Jung

The Fine Art of Fucking Up- Cate Dicharry

(Reviewed by JD Jung) “Never could I have imagined such a circumstance: the building underwater, Ramona trapped inside, the Pollock in peril, Suzanne and James in love in a kayak, Ethan at home playacting fatherhood with an international exchange student, … Continue reading

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The Poker Game: A Jack Dantzler Mystery – Tom Wallace

(Reviewed by Cathy Carey) “Dantzler leaned against the marble bar and surveyed the carnage. Five adult males, all deceased, were slumped over in chairs situated around a poker table, victims of what appeared to be a single gunshot to the … Continue reading

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Marry Your Billionaire: A Modern Cinderella – C. J. Anaya

(Reviewed by Ishita RC) Madelyn ‘Midge’ Knightly has a famous Hollywood producer- father and a trust fund as a legacy. But instead of following her birthright, she stepped off the path six years ago to create her own name and … Continue reading

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In the Café of Lost Youth – Patrick Modiano (Translated from the French by Chris Clarke)

(Reviewed by JD Jung) “I’ve always believed that certain places are like magnets and draw you towards them should you happen to walk within their radius. And this happens imperceptibly, without you even suspecting… It seems to me that because … Continue reading

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The Cowboy Bible and Other Stories – Carlos Velázquez (Translated from the Spanish by Achy Obejas )

(Reviewed by JD Jung) “The sacrilege I’d committed two hours earlier of breaking dozens of records proved irrelevant. The Cowboy Bible didn’t respond either. I tore at it, implored it, cursed it, and still failed.” These are the words of … Continue reading

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America’s First Daughter: A Novel – Stephanie Dray & Laura Kamoie

(Reviewed by Ishita RC) “Patsy, suffering strengthens our constitutions and builds inner fortifications so that we never fall prey to the same agony twice. We must take upon ourselves a smaller evil to defend against the greater evil. We must … Continue reading

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New Orleans Noir The Classics – edited by Julie Smith

(Reviewed by JD Jung)   “A hurricane is supposed to have a beginning and an end. It tears the earth up, fills the air with fling trees and bricks and animals and sometimes even people, make you roll up into … Continue reading

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The Drowned Boy (Inspector Sejer Mysteries) – Karin Fossum

(Reviewed by Melanie Hamilton) On a warm, Norwegian summer’s day, a toddler wanders from his house only to be found by his mother, floating in Damtjern, a near-by pond. Meanwhile, Detective Inspector Sejer’s dizzy spells are becoming more frequent and … Continue reading

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After the Kill: A Jake Roberts Novel (Volume 4) – Cary Allen Stone

(Reviewed by Cathy Carey) “The victim, a prominent gray haired San Francisco lawyer was face up on his dining room table. His chest was cut on a “Y” incision, autopsy-style, and he was gutted. There were deep, straight- line knife … Continue reading

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Hoping to Help: The Promises and Pitfalls of Global Health Volunteering (The Culture and Politics of Health Care Work) – Judith N. Lasker

(Reviewed by Ishita RC) “What do they see as the value of having volunteers come to their communities? What, in their opinions, are the qualities of the good volunteers, and what describes the ones who are not so welcome? What … Continue reading

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