California Rain – Frank McAdams

Posted on November 20, 2024 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung) Set against the backdrop of 1950s America, California Rain delivers a gripping noir thriller that blends the intrigue of political scandal, the fight for justice, along with the glamour of old Hollywood. With an evocative sense of time and place, this novel keeps readers hooked from the very first page. At…

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Pieces: Maddy Reynolds in the Crosshairs – John Netti

Posted on November 10, 2024 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung)   Detective Maddy Reynolds was so burned out from her job that she decided to take early retirement and move to the small, quiet town of Berry Lake, New York. Little did she know that her peaceful life would be disrupted, and her past police work would follow to haunt her.…

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A Relevant Poem by Lawrence Ferlinghetti

Posted on November 7, 2024 by J D Jung

Pity The Nation (2007)- Lawrence Ferlinghetti (1919-2021) (inspired by Khalil Gibran) Pity the nation whose people are sheep, and whose shepherds mislead them. Pity the nation whose leaders are liars, whose sages are silenced and whose bigots haunt the airwaves. Pity the nation that raises not its voice, except to praise conquerors and acclaim the…

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A Must Read Now! -On Heroism: McCain, Milley, Mattis, and the Cowardice of Donald Trump – Jeffrey Goldberg

Posted on November 4, 2024 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung) Why do so many politicians and public servants continue to support a man who has little regard for the military, no regard for the Constitution, and holds dictators in such high regard? Jeffrey Goldberg, Editor in chief of The Atlantic gives us clues. There are some though, who refuse to compromise…

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Low-Hanging Fruit: Sparkling Whines, Champagne Problems, and Pressing Issues from My Gay Agenda – Randy Rainbow

Posted on November 1, 2024 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung) Who would write a Dear John letter to social media in order to get control over his attention span and basically his entire life? And how do you even navigate the damn thing? Or how about a poem on internet trolls? Comedian Randy Rainbow of course, in his hilarious collection of…

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Still a Grim Favorite! Revisited: Mygale – Thierry Jonquet (translated by Donald Nicolson Smith)

Posted on October 29, 2024 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung) Ah, revenge can be so sweet. Now mix it with obsession and a touch of madness, and it turns utterly twisted and bizarre.  Such is the case with the intense and fascinating novel, Mygale, written by the late French crime novelist Thierry Jonquet. Richard Lafargue, a successful, well-respected plastic surgeon carries…

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An UnderratedRead Revisited: Send Her Back and Other Stories – Munashe Kaseke

Posted on October 26, 2024 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung) This collection will captivate you as soon as you start reading. “Send Her Back” is just one of twelve riveting tales centering around women who immigrated to the U.S. from Zimbabwe. In that specific title, a young woman who has just been accepted into medical school is in fear of being…

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That Librarian – Amanda Jones

Posted on October 17, 2024 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung) “We are just collateral damage to them in their quest, and so are the students who do not fit into the mold of what they deem acceptable which is white, straight Christians. I pray for the hate, lies, and attacks to end for the sake of our profession, my friends, and…

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An UnderratedRead Revisited: The Fitful Sleep of Immigrants – Orlando Ortega-Medina

Posted on October 14, 2024 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung) “We were a family of emigrants, on the move from generation to generation. Forced to flee our homes because of intolerable situations imposed on us by those in power. The United States was meant to be the last stop on that journey.” Such is the case of thirty-six-year-old attorney and recovering…

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The Propagandist – Cécile Desprairies, translated by Natasha Lehrer

Posted on October 10, 2024 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung) Our protagonist had to navigate between truth and lies, reality and denial for her entire childhood. Now as an adult and a historian, she must face these truths and the role her mother played in Fance during the German occupation. Growing up in the 1960’s, she remembers her mother Lucie gossiping…

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