An UnderratedRead Revisited:The Words That Remain – Stênio Gardel (Translated by Bruna Dantas Lobato)

Posted on November 16, 2023 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung)

#CommissionsEarned


“The river calmly flowed and cried its eternal murmur. Raimundo got up and looked at the empty sky. The shadows had taken over the blue as well. The stars must have fallen and become the seeds of reality at his feet.”

Raimundo could never forget his first love, Cicero. They both knew they were risking everything by being together. If their families found out they could be ostracized, beaten, or worse, killed.

Raimundo is in his seventies now and has lived life in the margins of Brazilian society. It’s been fifty years since he’s seen Cicero, and he is still holding on to an unopened letter from him. Growing up poor, Raimundo is illiterate, but he decides to finally learn to read in order to decipher the letter. Then again, should he destroy it instead? After all, Cicero knew he couldn’t read, so why would he even write to him?

Though poetic, the author also writes with haunting clarity. He structures the story with such skill, going back and forth between their early days and Raimundo’s present. Though we anxiously anticipate what he decides to do and possibly learn what ever happened to Cicero, it’s Raimundo’s life in between that keeps the reader captivated. We learn about a life of pain and longing, but also one of survival, family secrets, and how fear leads to violence. At only around 150 pages, the plot and characters are still fully developed.

The Words That Remain is a heart-wrenching story that I highly recommend.

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An UnderratedRead Revisited: The Vulture Fund – Jeff Buick

Posted on November 12, 2023 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by Don Jung)


#CommissionsEarned


Two unlikely murders that don’t appear to be related become the focus of Boston detective Curtis Westcoast and his team as they try to unravel one mystery after another. This is a murder mystery series that is fast-paced, suspenseful and full of twists and turns.

First, a woman with an India passport falls victim in a fatal drive-by shooting. The detectives uncovered a fake passport with very little information on her real identity. They found no cell phone but discovered that she worked in a building where she was the only occupant. The details are so obscure that fellow detective Aislinn must go to India to find out her next of kin and discover the nature of the secret job that she was working.

The second murder involves Mason Kalley, a hedge fund manager, who dies in his home from carbon monoxide poisoning. Ruled first as an accident, the case is reopened when Aislinn discovers that he was meeting frequently with the Indian national prior to her death.

The book is titled The Vulture Fund as the hedge fund was known for acquiring insolvent companies, reinventing their business model, and then selling them for huge profits. Mason Kalley was highly successful, but the detectives soon find his wife, his mistress, and his two kids all have possible motives on his premature death.

Slowly each motive and clue must be solved before it can lead to an exciting conclusion. I was mesmerized the entire time as each chapter led to more questions that need answers. I couldn’t put the book down.

Though I rated the others in the Curtis Westcott series: A Killing Game, and The Wrong Side of Murder, as well as the The Krubera Conspiracy, “A Must Read Now!” (5 bookmarks), I think the Vulture Fund is Jeff Buick’s best novel to date!

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Unlocking Your Inner Zelensky: Lessons We Can All Learn from an Unexpected Leader – Jessie Asya Kanzer

Posted on November 7, 2023 by J D Jung
Reviewed by JD Jung)
#CommissionsEarned

As a great admirer of the Ukrainian president, I was intrigued when I discovered the book, Unlocking Your Inner Zelensky: Lessons We Can All Learn from an Unexpected Leader. I didn’t know what to expect but I am happy to say that I wasn’t disappointed.

Author Jessie Asya Kanzer immigrated to the United States from Soviet Latvia and has crossed paths with Zelenskyy*. She shares her personal experiences and how they relate to Volodymyr Zelenskyy. She believes that he is a “profound philosophical leader of our generation”.

However, it is her analysis of his personality and how we can harness his strengths in our own lives that is the focus of the book. She goes into detail how Zelenskyy reveals authenticity, truth and honesty, and acts according to his core values. He is clear on his objectives and has overcome indecisiveness. Kanzer then details how we can do the same. She also explains his effective methods of communication and how we can develop these skills.

Even though Kanzer maintains that individuals must develop a particular strength or characteristic in their own lives in order to be able to project it to the world, I believe that some analogies are a stretch, relating the global to the individual. One example is comparing the act of choosing your own identity, (not the one predetermined for you) to that of how Zelenskyy is seeking to do that for Ukraine.

I also feel that the structure of the book could have been more consistent. Kanzer jumps around multiple topics. However, I found her study of different aspects of the Ukrainian war quite interesting.

Still, there’s a lot one can get out of Unlocking Your Inner Zelensky. As we look deep into ourselves, there’s much we can learn from the Ukrainian president and former comedian.

*The author uses the Ukrainian spelling of Zelenskyy with the double ”yy”, instead of the Russian spelling using the single” y”, in deference to what she says the Ukrainian president prefers.

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An UnderratedRead Revisited: The Ones Who Don’t Say They Love You: Stories – Maurice Carlos Ruffin

Posted on November 4, 2023 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung)


#CommisionsEarned

Exceptional
“In New Orleans, culture doesn’t come down from on high, it bubbles up from the street.” –  Jazz Pianist Ellis Marsalis (1934-2020)

This quote that opens the book epitomizes these stories, as we meet New Orleans residents of all ages and gender identifications just trying to make it day by day.

I was grabbed immediately while reading the first and title story, “The Ones Who Don’t Say They Love You”. We meet a male teenage prostitute who is just hoping for something more. I didn’t think that this one could be outdone. I was wrong.

New Orleans Author Maurice Carlos Ruffin relates these poignant tales with honest, cutting language, using the vernacular of his characters. Though the stories are often ill-fated, he manages to skillfully intersperse humor in many of them.

Such is the case of my favorite, “Ghetto University”. Here, an English professor who specializes in the works of Russian poet Alexander Pushkin, resorts to mugging tourists in the French Quarter. He justifies his actions with absurd reasons, such as that he is doing a service to his victims.

I wish some of the shorter stories were longer. As I became immersed in the plot and characters, they would end, even though the conclusions made sense.

I couldn’t get the final story out of my head though. “Before I let Go”, features a woman whose house is about to be foreclosed. Though the house has been in her family for generations, she incurred debt while making repairs on it after Katrina. Through no fault of her own, every time she tries to get ahead, she seems to take giant steps backwards. This is happening as white people from other parts of the country descend like locusts to buy the house and others in the Tremé neighborhood. This story forces us to look at gentrification in an even dimmer light.

The Ones Who Don’t Say They Love You is a must-read collection of short stories, and I hope to discover more from this author.

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An UnderratedRead Revisited: Confessions of a Gentleman Killer – Johnny Payne

Posted on October 31, 2023 by J D Jung

(reviewed by JD Jung)

“If I didn’t kill them afterward, you’d say I was the perfect client, boyfriend, husband, or lover. And believe me, that’s the man I want to be, the man I tried to be. And failed.”

It’s 1849 London and after two years and fourteen killings, Kilcairn is reevaluating his life. The newspapers refer to him as “The Gentleman Killer” based on his method of killing his victims. But these murders are only part of the story.

Kilcairn was from a family of Irish sheep farmers, but highly educated in London. He was the son-in-law of a powerful businessman and eventually became the assistant to the future British Prime Minister.

So, what would drive such as successful man to commit such depraved acts of violence?

Confessions of a Gentleman Killer takes us through the life of Kilcairn from his own perspective. The story grabs the reader from the beginning and doesn’t let go. I found some of the events from Kilcairn’s professional life so remarkable, that I forgot (though only briefly) that he was a serial killer. This is not to say that I sympathized with him or understood his actions, but I gained a larger picture of him.

This dark story itself is fascinating enough. It explores issues of class within nineteenth century British society. However, if you’re like me, you’ll wonder what drove him to commit these murders. The author explores the killer’s psychology and presents enough background information for readers to come up with their own conclusions. In fact, I think that was done on purpose. I have my own ideas, but I don’t want to give anything away.

I highly recommend Confessions of a Gentleman Killer for fans of historical crime fiction that blends both psychology and sociology within the story.

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An UnderratedRead Revisited:Blind Dates: Weird Stories – Harambee K. Grey-Sun

Posted on October 29, 2023 by J D Jung
Reviewed by JD Jung)
#CommissionsEarned


Being close to Halloween, I was in search for a good horror read. So, when I started reading these stories, I was expecting them to center on blind dates gone tragically wrong. Or maybe the traditional “woman gets picked up by sociopathic man who then strangles her”. I was wrong on both counts.

Blind Dates – Weird Stories is a collection of nine works of speculative fiction focusing on flawed individuals where often the supposed victim isn’t as apparent as it seems. And not always female. These diverse stories combine horror and the supernatural, along with psychological and ethical issues. Love is defined in different ways, by those with varying motives and weaknesses.

My favorite is “Love Among the Ultramoderns”, where the twists will shock you. In “Silver Green”, revenge takes on a twist. I feel that not all are keepers though. However, the good ones overshadow the not-so-good ones.

What they all have in common though, is that they’re well written and multifaceted. All the senses are engaged, especially by way of scent and aroma.

As you start to read these tales,  throw away your expectations. If you’re like me and are looking for an enjoyable, eclectic read, Blind Dates – Weird Stories is the one for you.

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January – Sara Gallardo, translated by Frances Riddle

Posted on October 24, 2023 by J D Jung

(reviewed by JD Jung)

Exceptional
January (Enero) first published in Spanish in 1958, follows the daily life and thoughts of sixteen-year-old Nefer, who finds she is pregnant after a rape.

Nefer works on the family farm, and lives in the shadow of her sister and the other girls in the Argentine village. There seems to be no one she can turn to. She doesn’t get along with her mother and is afraid to confide in her local priest. She contemplates visiting the infamous woman who is known to perform abortions, though they are illegal.

The late Argentinian author Sara Gallardo wrote this in a very personal tone. Though we learn the story through Nefer’s perspective, her feelings are not static. We witness her confusion, but also her anger, jealousy, and desperation. Why couldn’t this “secret” inside her be from the man she loves, though he never notices her? For this, she despises the pretty wealthier girls from the village. However, through all of this, Nefer refuses to be a victim.

What is so fascinating about January is that the story is not only very human and genuine, but also significant in a historical, cultural, and sociological sense.

January was Gallardo’s first novel and remains a very significant work of literary fiction. We are fortunate that it has just been translated into English.

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An UnderratedRead Revisited:The Wishing Pool and Other Stories – Tananarive Due

Posted on October 18, 2023 by J D Jung

(Reviewed by JD Jung)


You’ll keep looking over your shoulder as you read these eerie stories of horror, with a little science fiction sprinkled in, in The Wishing Pool and Other Stories.

The title piece, “The Wishing Pool” features Joy, a woman returning home to North Florida to visit her father who is suffering from dementia. She reminisces about her childhood there and the small pond, where one must be careful what they wish for.

Author Tananarive Due not only tackles childhood fears but also aging and the fear of mortality. Throughout this collection of fourteen chilling stories, she also explores issues of race, family, and society. Such is the case with “Haint in the Window”, where Darryl, who runs a bookstore, is faced with a security guard who is racially profiling him. That is, in addition to dealing with the ghosts provoking him in the shop.

While these two superb stories are just examples of the haunting tales in “Part I: Wishing”, my favorites are those in “Part II: The Gracetown Stories”. As mentioned in the section title, the setting for these is Gracetown, a swamp-filled rural town in North Florida. From getting lost on Route 9 to working as a housekeeper for an elderly white man hiding damning secrets, readers will identify with many of the characters as it will bring up some of their deepest fears. In “Migration”, Jazmine cannot make sense of her actions nor remember all her secrets and transgressions as she may be suffering from schizophrenia on the one hand or possessed by a demon on the other.

In “Part III: The Nayima Stories”, we witness a grim, dystopian future where decades of plague lead to totalitarianism and shortages of every kind.

These stories feel hauntingly real and invoke such powerful images that the reader is completely invested in the characters and their dire situations. It is also amazing how Due is able to develop her unique characters in such a short amount of time.

The Wishing Pool and Other Stories will provide a unique experience in the horror genre. Highly recommended!

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C’mon, Get Happy: The Making of Summer Stock -David Fantle and Tom Johnson

Posted on October 12, 2023 by J D Jung

(Review and poem by Betty Jo Tucker)


#CommissionsEarned


Summer Stock, a movie I love,
now a book on the making of.
Ring cowbells and shout hooray
What a great read to have today!

Questions answered? Oh, yes indeed.
Everything fans and readers need.
A book of details surprising
that make a reader want to sing.

Judy and Gene get lots of space.
They worked together at a pace
They loved each other and it shows.
Their friendship worked — as this fan knows.

Other helpers are detailed too.
Read this book and find out who.
All songs and dances get their due.
Favorite? “You Wonderful You”

Cast and everyone behind screen
All of them manage to be seen.
A barnyard musical like this
now history we should not miss.

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The Moscow Affair: A Nicole Graves Mystery – Nancy Boyarsky

Posted on October 9, 2023 by J D Jung

(reviewed by JD Jung)


#CommissionsEarned


Private investigator Nicole Grave’s fiancé , Reinhardt, has disappeared. Actually, it’s not that unusual. First, he worked as a chief inspector for the London Metropolitan Police. He then took a rather secretive job, where his absences were sudden and for undetermined periods of time. Maybe he is now an operative for the UK’s M16? In any event, this disappearance has been for almost a year.

So, when Nicole, an American, is asked by British intelligence to pose as a tourist on a Russian riverboat cruise to observe a group of passengers, she considers it. Maybe this will bring her to Reinhardt.

As Nicole proceeds, there is more to this assignment than meets the eye. Have her British handlers been totally truthful with her? As the narrative unfolds, Nicole finds herself in perilous situations, bearing witness to a murder and fleeing from the relentless pursuit of Russian authorities. The tension and stakes are intense throughout, keeping readers on the edge of their seats.

From the outset, the premise may seem a tad far-fetched, requiring a certain suspension of disbelief on how Nicole was recruited. It took me awhile to get past this. However, once I dove into the heart of the story, I found myself captivated by a fast-paced narrative that kept me turning the pages. While the plot doesn’t consist of intricate layers of espionage, it still remains solid.

The well-developed characters, even the minor ones, ensure that readers become fully invested in the story. The bleak Russian setting sets the tone, as we embark on a game of cat-and-mouse through the streets of Moscow.

The Moscow Affair is a quick read that fans of uncomplicated espionage thrillers (with a bit of romance sprinkled in) will enjoy.

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