This blog is the place where I post reviews of the books I have read. I review audiobooks, regular books and eBooks for authors and publishers as well as any other book or audiobook that catches my eye.
When Elisabeth London travels back in time to the 14th century, she is transported to a world straight out of the pages of a fairy-tale. Swept away by the adventure and romance, Elisabeth follows her heart—and Aquarius—into this whole new world. But Elisabeth soon learns her father has discovered where (or rather when) she is. He’s sent a bounty-hunter to bring her home. Although a million questions buzz through her mind, there’s one thing she’s certain of—her parents will never let her hang out in the 14th century with a guy she met in Ancient Rome. With her heart at stake, can Elisabeth avoid the bounty-hunter and find a way to stay in this fairy-tale world? Or is her love-life about to take a rather grim twist? Find out in Elisabeth London’s timeless story of love, danger, and adventure.
An adventurer at heart, Tammy has explored ruins in Rome, Pompeii, and Istanbul (Constantinople) with historians and archaeologists.
She’s slept in the tower of a 15th century castle in Scotland, climbed down the cramped tunnels of Egyptian pyramids, scaled the Sydney Harbour Bridge, sailed on a tiny raft down the Yulong River in rural China, dined at a Bedouin camp in the Arabian Desert, and escaped from head-hunters in the South Pacific.
I suppose one could say her own childhood wish of time traveling adventures came true…in a roundabout way.
When Crooked Nose punched, David blocked. Then, with a quick elbow movement, he smacked the man’s face with the end of the rope before stepping back. The effect was rather comical.
Crooked threw another punch.
David pounced, wrapping the rope around the man’s wrist. Yanking the tied arm back made him double over. His eyes turned cold and hard. “Who sent you?”
The man’s breath sawed in and out. “You’ve no idea whose daughter you’ve run away with, do you?”
He pulled Crooked’s arm straight back some more. “Enlighten me.”
“Make her tell you,” he hissed.
David swallowed a lump in his throat. “She hides nothing from me.” He then snapped the man’s arm at the elbow, and grabbed Elisabeth’s hand, pulling her to a run.
Her breath hitched, and the colorful bouquet of wildflowers dropped.
“By the gods!” David led the way through a field of grazing sheep, toward a grove of trees. “Your father is here?”
“No…” She shook her head in denial. “No, he can’t be…can he?”
“You tell me!”
Elisabeth let out an uncontrollable whimper.
If Dad found out she was time-traveling—she was so grounded.
TO SEE PHOTOS FROM THE OFFICIAL CANADIAN BOOK LAUNCH – SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST …
*********************************
DESCRIPTION:
Inthis suspenseful YA thriller from debut author Marie Hoy-Kenny, four former friends—each with their own dark secret—must team up to solve a murder.
Calista, Zoe, Holly, and Denise were inseparable best friends when they spent their summers together at sleepaway camp. But after an unexplained tragedy forced the camp to close, the girls drifted apart.
Years later, reunited at their beloved camp counselor Violet’s funeral, the four former best friends quickly realize how much they’ve changed over the years. But despite their differences, they agree on one thing—Violet’s so-called accidental death was actually murder.
Unwilling to leave the case unsolved, they set off to uncover the truth—even if it means revealing the dark secrets of their pasts.
But someone wants them to stop investigating, and the anonymous threats keep coming, leaving them suspicious of everyone.
No one can be trusted, not even the girls from Hush Cabin.
*********************************
Picture
*********************************
MY REVIEW:
I had the privilege of attending the Canadian Book Launch for “The Girls From Hush Cabin” which was held in Shelburne, Ontario, Canada.
During that exclusive event, an author reading took place as well as a Q & A session and book signing.
“The Girls From Hush Cabin” will resonate with anyone who has ever attended (or worked at) a kid’s sleepaway summer camp. Experiences like that have a way of forging deep and abiding friendships that often last a lifetime. For something to break that bond, it has to be traumatic in the extreme.
This Young Adult novel centers around a group of four friends – Calista, Zoe, Holly, and Denise – and takes place several years after attending camp together. They had all drifted apart, the reasons for which, is part of the mystery of the story.
Reunited due to the death of the camp counselor they all loved, they gather at her funeral only to discover that her death may not have been an accident – even though they seem to be the only ones who are suspicious.
What follows is a mystery, as well as a mystery within the mystery. Twists and turns abound and everyone’s secrets are exposed. Fans of Pretty Little Liars will love this book.
I rateTHE GIRLS FROM HUSH CABIN as 4 out of 5 Stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ and if you have teenagers to buy Christmas presents for, you cannot go wrong with gifting them this book. In fact, it just might end up being their favorite gift.
*** Thank you to #NetGalley for providing me with a free advance copy of this book which I enjoyed enough that I purchased a hardcover copy for myself.
Marie Hoy-Kenny is a writer and theatre enthusiast from Ontario, Canada, where she lives with her guitar-playing husband, two creative and spirited young children, and mischievous bichon poodle.
Marie has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and a Master of Science in Education.
She writes young adult and middle grade novels and has had several stories and poems published in literary magazines.
Her debut young adult thriller, THE GIRLS FROM HUSH CABIN, was published by Blackstone Publishing in August, 2023.
Her first picture book, PLANTS ARE NOT BORING, will be illustrated by Mike Deas and published by Orca Books in April, 2025.
Marie is represented by Emmy Nordstrom Higdon from Westwood Creative Artists.
To learn more about this author visit the following links:
Publishing great books by talented writers and forging connections with readers for the long-term.
In 1987, in a small garage in Southern Oregon, Blackstone Publish was born.
Founded by Craig and Michelle Black, the early days consisted of a small handful of family members and employees working out of their home, building the business one cassette tape at a time. With a fresh perspective on the reading experience, Craig and Michelle, along with their trusted team, found new and innovative methods to not only produce and distribute audiobooks, but also pioneered creative ways to collaborate with publishers, booksellers, and the audiobook listening community.
2017 marked Blackstone’s 30th anniversary, and the company continues to grow, innovate, and further the ascendancy of the overall audiobook business.
The new publishing venture, launched in 2015, is built upon this foundation. The goal is to publish groundbreaking books (fiction and nonfiction) by talented writers, and to forge long-term connections with readers, booksellers, librarians, and the overall literary community.
Blackstone is thrilled to be working with bestselling authors like P. C. Cast and Kristin Cast, Shelley Shepard Gray, Nicholas Sansbury Smith, Catherine Ryan Howard, and Cory Doctorow to publish print books, e-books, and audiobooks, furthering their commitment to bringing entertaining stories to as many people as possible in the most creative and innovative ways imaginable.
To learn more about this Publisher visit the following links:
There’s a princess trapped in a tower. This IS NOT her story.
Meet Toadling. On the day of her birth, she was stolen from her family by the fairies, but she grew up safe and loved in the warm waters of faerieland. Once an adult though, the fae ask a favor of Toadling: return to the human world and offer a blessing of protection to a newborn child. Simple, right?
But nothing with fairies is ever simple.
Centuries later, a knight approaches a towering wall of brambles, where the thorns are as thick as your arm and as sharp as swords. He’s heard there’s a curse here that needs breaking, but it’s a curse Toadling will do anything to uphold…
××××××××××××××××××××××
××××××××××××××××××××××
“The way Thornhedge turns all the fairy tales inside out is a sharp-edged delight.” —Katherine Addison, author of The Goblin Emperor
××××××××××××××××××××××
MY REVIEW:
I read a few of the early reviews for THORNHEDGE, and was intrigued. So, thanks to #MacmillanAudio and #Netgalley I was able to receive an advance copy of the Thornhedge” audiobook.
Listening to Jennifer Blom narrate this phenomenal story was an experience not to be missed.
There have been many, many books published over the past few years that are retellings of fairy tales with more modern perspectives and diverse characters which is fantastic. However, none of those other authors have anywhere near the originality or imagination of those written by T. Kingfisher.
T. Kingfisher (a pseudonym for multi award-winning author Ursula Vernon) is my type of woman. Her imagination, creativity, and pure, unadulterated ‘twistedness’ make her books captivating and un-put-down-able.
THORN HEDGE may start out as a Princess-Locked-In-A-Tower story, but readers quickly realize that, for once, rescuing the princess is not what this story is about.
I refuse to ruin even a small part of this book for potential audiobook listeners, so suffice it to say that readers from the age of 8 to 98 will love this listening experience.
I rate THORNHEDGE as 6 out of 5 Stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ and cannot recommend this strongly enough – you NEED to pre-order this audiobook and/or the print version asap.
Even though I now own a copy of the audiobook, I want ahead and pre-ordered a copy of the hardcover because of the superb artwork I saw only a small taste of. I am excited to receive my copy.
*** Thank you to #NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this audiobook. ***
××××××××××××××××××××××
This is the hardcover version of this book that I Pre-ordered because I most definitely want this book in my collection.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
T. Kingfisher is the vaguely absurd pen-name of Ursula Vernon, an author from North Carolina. In another life, she writes children’s books and weird comics.
She has been nominated for the World Fantasy and the Eisner, and has won the Hugo, Sequoyah, Nebula, Alfie, WSFA, Coyotl and Ursa Major awards, as well as a half-dozen Junior Library Guild selections.
What is coming soon from T. KINGFISHER? Look at the chart above.
I will be posting my review of “What Moves The Dead” in the next few days. You definitely don’t want to miss out on this fabulous book … T. Kingfisher has created another absolute masterpiece.
This is the name she uses when writing things for grown-ups. Her work includes multiple fairy-tale retellings and odd little stories about elves and goblins.
When she is not writing, she is probably out in the garden, trying to make eye contact with butterflies.
To learn more about this author visit the following links:
Download a free audiobook version of T. Kingfisher’s Short Story “ORIGIN STORY” by clicking HERE.
××××××××××××××××××××××
ABOUT THE NARRATOR:
JENNIFER BLOM is an audiobook narrator and actor living in New York. She has a varied background in many fields but found her passion in the creative pursuits.
Jennifer has been a junior software engineer, a technical support specialist, and is involved in theater both on and offstage. She is also a singer and loves playing her Ukulele.
She has studied 3D animation, game design, true crime and forensic psychology, you know, for fun. She loves knowing about how the world works at a deeper level.
Besides narrating she also runs Reaping Audiobooks where she leads the all female or non-binary crew in the task of post production on audiobooks.
She also coaches others in the art of using Reaper and on efficiency in general. She loves helping people find the magic and joy in technology again.
To learn more about this Narrator visit the following links:
Macmillan Audio was founded in 1987 as Audio Renaissance. With more than twenty years in the business, Macmillan Audio continues to publish audio editions of the best fiction and non-fiction books from our fellow Macmillan trade publishers, as well as many other publishers outside the Macmillan family.
In 2001, the company was acquired by Macmillan, and in 2007 it took on its current name.
That same year, Macmillan Audio launched a children’s imprint, Macmillan Young Listeners, which has been going strong ever since.
To learn more about this Publisher visit the following links:
A wildfire of a debut memoir by internationally recognized French/Cree/Iroquois journalist Brandi Morin set to transform the narrative around Indigenous Peoples.
Brandi Morin is known for her clear-eyed and empathetic reporting on Indigenous oppression in North America.
She is also a survivor of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls crisis and uses her experience to tell the stories of those who did not survive the rampant violence.
From her time as a foster kid and runaway who fell victim to predatory men and an oppressive system to her career as an internationally acclaimed journalist, Our Voice of Fire chronicles Morin’s journey to overcome enormous adversity and find her purpose, and her power, through journalism.
This compelling, honest book is full of self-compassion and the purifying fire of a pursuit for justice.
***********************************
*************************************
MY REVIEW:
Content warning: rape, child abuse, racism, intergenerational trauma, suicide, and loss of a pregnancy.
Honest, compelling, and one hundred percent real.
Brandi Morin is my new hero because she tells it like it is. No molly-coddling, no sugar coating, no lies to spare the reader from the ugliness of genuine truth.
Brandi Morin’s bravery is nothing short of inspirational. Her book: OUR VOICE OF FIRE is a memoir of her life. It is also a truthful (and sometimes ugly) look at the effect colonialism has had on Canada’s Indigenous peoples.
When Brandi discovered that her beloved kohkum (grandmother) had kept a journal of sorts, it set her on a new path in life.
“Each small scrap of paper, each page in her journal, fed the spark of curiosity within until it was a roaring fire of need. [Brandi] needed to know more. About Kohkum. About [herself]. About [her] people.”
Brandi writes:
“Without my even realizing it, my feet were set on a new path. Over the next few years, I began to hunt for the truth…”
That path has led her to become a nationally recognized voice for Indigenous peoples, and ultimately led to the creation of this book.
Honesty is always the best policy in my opinion, however, Canada has continually glossed over the dark parts of its history. Brandi Morin’s journalism career calls the government out on their hypocrisy and on the deeply embedded and systemic racism that exists to this day.
In writing this memoir, Brandi is speaking out for all those women and girls, past and present, who have had their voices silenced in a variety of ways.
She is also speaking out for herself despite the fact that; “Sometimes it feels easier and kinder to just leave those smoking memories alone, protecting myself and my loved ones with silence.”
But, Brandi has learned that
“… silence is a tool of violence used against [her] people for generations in the attempt to erase and eradicate [them].”
There is a belief held by Indigenous Peoples that trauma is intergenerational and that, on average, it takes seven generations to rid a family of the effects of that trauma. If that family experiences more trauma, such as the Residential School System, the Sixties Scoop, and the ongoing, deeply ingrained systemic racism of Canada today, those seven generations start all over again.
As heart-wrenching as it must have been for her, Brandi bares her soul in this memoir.
“I endured beatings and verbal abuse from my mother, who was unwittingly passing along her inheritance of trauma and violence to me. There are bloody encounters that I can clearly picture today, but I won’t go into details. My dad would sometimes choke me against the wall until I was close to passing out at the requests from my mother to ‘deal with me’…”
Sadly, Brandi’s experiences are far from unique.
This must stop and it is through the publication of books such as this one that people are able to learn the truth and to actively seek to change things for the better.
OUR VOICE OF FIRE should be required reading for everyone, especially for anyone who doubts the lingering effects of familial trauma.
I rate this book as 7 out of 7 Stars
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
If you are interested in raw, unapologetic honesty, OUR VOICE OF FIRE by Brandi Morin is a Must Read.
*** Thank you to #Edelweiss for providing me with a free copy of this book. ***
***********************************
***********************************
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
BRANDI MORIN is an award-winning French/Cree/Iroquois journalist from Treaty 6, Alberta, Canada.
For the last ten years Brandi has specialized in sharing Indigenous stories, which have influenced reconciliation in Canada’s political, cultural, and social environments.
She is one of Canada’s most prominent voices on Indigenous issues.
Brandi has published or broadcasted with the New York Times, National Geographic, the Guardian, the Toronto Star, Al Jazeera English, Vice, Elle Canada, CBC’s Power & Politics , and the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network National News, among many other outlets.
Brandi won a Human Rights Reporting award from the Canadian Association of Journalists for her work with the CBC’s Beyond 94 project tracking the progress of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action.
To learn more about this author visit the following links:
Before there was a literary scene in Canada, writers Dennis Lee and David Godfrey founded House of Anansi Press to publish poetry. It was the heyday of hippie Yorkville, when Toronto teemed with draft dodgers and their youthful American energy, and Canada was celebrating Expo 67 and its 100th anniversary.
Change was in the air, and Canadians wanted to read books written by Canadians. Anansi expanded to publish authors such as Michael Ondaatje, Matt Cohen, Northrop Frye, Erín Moure, and Margaret Atwood (who worked here as an editor).
Now under the ownership of Scott Griffin, House of Anansi Press is Canada’s leading independent publisher. We continue to break new ground with award-winning and bestselling books that reflect the changing nature of the world and the country, and we help shape the national conversation with the publication of the annual CBC Massey Lectures (in conjunction with University of Toronto’s Massey College and CBC Ideas) with contributors like Martin Luther King, Jr., Ursula Franklin, and Tanya Talaga. Anansi continues to publish poetry, as well as fiction, nonfiction, drama, French-Canadian writers in translation, lifestyle, and authors from around the world. We take pride in finding and developing talent, publishing Indigenous, Black, and less mainstream writers, and firing up the imagination with Very Good Books.
House of Anansi Press respectfully acknowledges that the land on which we operate is the Traditional Territory of many Nations, including the Anishinabeg, the Wendat and the Haudenosaunee. It is also the Treaty Lands of the Mississaugas of the Credit.
To learn more about this Publisher visit the following links:
Georgia Williams’ murder at the hands of college pal Jamie Reynolds was a crime that shocked the nation: chillingly executed and horrific in its sexual depravity.
But when Georgia’s devastated mother, Lynnette, and father, Steve, questioned the events leading to their daughter’s death, they discovered it was also entirely preventable.
At the time of Georgia’s disappearance, Steve was – ironically – a highly-commended murder squad detective serving with West Mercia Police.
The same force, Steve and Lynnette discovered, had had Reynolds in its sights for years before Georgia’s murder, but let him slip their net.
Drawing on Steve’s inside police knowledge, the couple exposed the litany of failures that let Reynolds infiltrate their daughter’s life, and allowed him to kill.
Now, in her powerful and moving memoir, Lynnette tries to get beyond the platitudes of ‘mistakes made and lessons learned’ to effect real change, and also details the heartbreaking aftermath of a crime that should never have happened.
*********************************
*********************************
MY REVIEW:
This heart-wrenching memoir written by her mother begins like this:
“In memory of Georgia Lynette Williams, a beautiful human being, loving, caring, full of life, who would help anyone in need. She deserved a long, happy life, but was let down by the careless.”
That is the most succinct, and truthful description of this book that I could hope to provide.
Georgia was born in 1995 – the same year my oldest child was born. I cannot help but think of the milestones her parents and older sister have been deprived of when a POS (Piece of Shit) cut her life tragically, and horrifically short.
OUR GEORGIA is part true-crime story, part biography, part memoir, and part enumeration of the litany of ways the police and other government officials screwed up.
These were NOT small, harmless screw-ups.
If the police had done their jobs in the days, weeks, months, and years leading up to the night Georgia was murdered, it is an almost certitude that she would be alive today.
I am not just saying that. Once you read this book, I am convinced that you will agree with my assessment. The fact that Georgia’s father is a police detective makes this all the more poignant and inexcusable.
Having Georgia’s mother as the author, imbues this book with a special gravitas. Those of us who are mothers and fathers can only imagine how devastating losing a child is, and losing a child to murder is unimaginable. To have that loss compounded by the realization that her death could have, and should have, been avoided.
If you have any interest in True Crime and/or any interest in police and policing, this book must be added to your library.
5 out of 5 Stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
*** Thank you to #NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this book. ***
*********************************
*********************************
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Georgia with her parents in an undated photograph
Lynnette Williams is chair of the Georgia Williams Trust, a charity established in Georgia’s memory which enables young people to access adventure and the outdoors.
She also speaks in schools about violence and extreme pornography.
To learn more about the GEORGIA WILLIAMS TRUST, click on the following links and read more information below this book review.
An eye-opening firsthand account of the ongoing and trailblazing feminist movement in South Korea—one that the world should be watching.
Since the beginning of the #MeToo movement, tens of thousands of women and girls in South Korea have taken to the street, and many more brave individuals took a stand, to end a decades-long abortion ban and bring down powerful sexual abusers—including a popular presidential contender. South Korean feminists know that the revolution has been a long time coming, between battles against its own deeply patriarchal society as well as combating stereotypes of docile Asian women in the Western imagination.
Now, author Hawon Jung will show the rest of the world that these women are no delicate flowers—they are trailblazing flames.
Flowers of Fire takes the reader into the trenches of this fight for equality, following along as South Korean activists march on the streets, navigate public and private spaces full of spycams, and share tips and tricks with each other as they learn how to protect themselves from criminals and authorities alike.
Jung, the former Seoul correspondent for the AFP, draws on her on-the-ground reporting and interviews with many women who became activists and leaders, from the elite prosecutor who ignited the country’s #MeToo movement to the young women who led the war against non-consensual photography and revenge porn. Their stories, though long overlooked in the West, mirror realities that women across the world are all too familiar with: threats of defamation lawsuits to silence victims of assault, tech-based sexual abuse of women and girls, and criminal justice systems where victims’ voices are often met with suspicion and predators’ downfalls are met with sympathy. These are the issues at the heart of their #MeToo movement, and South Korean women have fought against them vigorously—and with extraordinary success. In Flowers of Fire, Jung illuminates the strength and tenacity of these women, too often sidelined in global conversations about feminism and gender equality.
The women written about in FLOWERS OF FIRE embody this quote.
Maya Angelou once said: “Develop enough courage to stand up for yourself and then stand up for somebody else.” The women whose stories are highlighted in this book are the living embodiments of that famous quote.
I don’t think any of us who were born in Canada and who have grown up with the knowledge that we are valuable and that we can be, and do anything, could possibly understand the world of misogyny that is the norm in South Korea. Yes, the patriarchy exists in North America, but not to the extent that it exists in Asian countries.
When the #MeToo movement swept through the United States and Canada, women felt empowered to stand up for themselves and to say “NO MORE.” But, what about women in other countries? What about women who, because of government censorship, had no idea what was happening around the world?
Who was brave enough to stand up and to be the very first woman to tell her story? And, what would happen to her after she came forward? The fear would have been crippling. There was a very real chance that those women would be shunned, shamed, and would be branded as sluts and liars.
I am in awe of the women in this book. They are BRAVE … truly brave in a way that transcends time. Their stories are IMPORTANT.
FLOWERS OF FIRE – The Inside Story of South Korea’s Feminist Movement And What It Means For Women’s Rights Worldwide is not only an enthralling read, but also an extremely important one.
If you think of yourself as a feminist, or even if you don’t, if you care about human rights at all, then you simply MUST Read this book.
FLOWERS OF FIRE is being released on March 7th, 2023 and can be pre-ordered now. I have a feeling that this book will sell out quickly, so I suggest that you preorder it to avoid being disappointed.
I would love to hear back from people after they read this book to discuss the details. I did not want to include any spoilers in my review, but I am dying to discuss it.
5 out of 5 Stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 5 out of 5 Flames
*** Thank you to #Edelweiss for providing me with a free advance review copy of this book. ***
*****************************
*****************************
More than 200 female protesters gather in central Seoul on Feb. 27, calling for women’s representation in South Korea’s presidential election. (Min Joo Kim/The Washington Post)
****************************
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Hawon Jung is a journalist and former Seoul correspondent for the AFP news agency with more than a decade of experience writing about the two Koreas.
She covered the 2011 death of then-North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, the rise to power of his son, Kim Jong-un, the junior Kim’s first summit with Donald Trump, South Korea’s historic presidential impeachment, and K-pop’s rise on the world stage.
Her coverage of South Korea’s #MeToo movement was shortlisted in the 2019 Awards for Editorial Excellence by the Society of Publishers in Asia.
Born and raised in South Korea, she currently lives in Germany with family.
To learn more about this author visit the following links:
Kim Ju-hee protests in August 2021 in front of the National Assembly in Seoul with a sign that reads “Democracy without woman is not a democracy.” ( Min Joo Kim/The Washington Post)
****************************
ABOUT THE PUBLISHER:
BenBella is a marketing-focused, author-friendly publishing house whose success is based on a few simple principles. We select our titles with care. We provide authors with first-class service and genuine partnership. And we provide aggressive, creative marketing for each title we publish.
To learn more about this Publisher visit the following links:
Go behind the scenes inside the nation’s preeminent Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, where good people fight the good fight amid the tragedies and absurdities of our age.
Perfect for fans of Michael Lewis and David Simon (Homicide, The Corner, The Wire, We Own This City)
Real life is different from what gets depicted on procedural crime dramas.
Equipped with a journalist’s eye, a paramedic’s experience and a sardonic wit, Bruce Goldfarb spent ten years with Maryland’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, where every sudden or unattended death in the state is scrutinized.
Touching on numerous scandals, including Derek Chauvin’s trial for the murder of George Floyd and the tragic killing in police custody of Freddie Gray, Goldfarb pulls back the curtain on a pioneer institution in crisis.
Medical examiners and the investigators and technicians who support them play vital roles in the justice and public health systems of every American community. During Goldfarb’s time with the Maryland OCME, opioid-related deaths contributed to a significant increase in their workload. Faced with a chronic shortage of qualified experts and inadequate funding, their important and fascinating work has become more challenging than most people could ever imagine.
The public gets a skewed view of the relationship between police and medical examiners from procedural crime dramas, Bruce Goldfarb writes of his work inside one of America’s most storied forensic centers. We aren’t on the same team . . . We aren’t on any team. The medical examiner’s sole duty is to the deceased person. We speak for the dead.
*****************************
*****************************
MY REVIEW:
Exquisitely readable and surprisingly relatable, OCME Life in America’s Top Forensic Medical Center is a book I read in a single sitting. Despite needing sleep, I was unable to put this book down.
Author Bruce Goldfarb brings readers along with him for a detailed look at what life is really like in the Maryland Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
Think this book would be too macabre to read? You would be massively wrong. OCME does NOT rely on the glorification of blood and guts to sell books. It is so interesting that it simply doesn’t need to.
Full of eye-opening facts and fascinating details, OCME will open the eyes of its readers to the ridiculousness of red tape in any and every bureaucracy; even the bureaucracy of death itself.
Although this might not have been the author’s goal, he has nevertheless succeeded in bringing to light the horrific statistics surrounding many of the most concerning ways in which people have died over the past decade. Granted, the statistics used in this book only represent the state of Maryland, however, these are the same issues faced by most other states and cities in North America. For example, the author highlights the alarming number of people who have died due to the Opiod Epidemic.
This book will open people’s eyes to the importance of having skilled and highly trained medical examiners. The result of this will hopefully be that both taxpayers and politicians will allocate more money in their budgets to the OCME in their respective jurisdictions.
Some of the most shocking, and frankly disturbing, information contained within the pages of this book are the following facts:
[ ] “About half of the US population is under the jurisdiction of coroners and lacks access to qualified forensic pathologists…”
[ ] “In states including Wisconsin, Missouri, Indiana, Illinois, New York, Idaho, Georgia, Colorado, and Nevada, elected coroners aren’t required to have ANY medical or legal training before they can certify the cause and manner of death.”
[ ] In Missouri, to serve as a coroner, the requirements are minimal. You only have to be 21 or older, and have to get more votes than anyone else. There is absolutely NO MEDICAL KNOWLEDGE NECESSARY. That is ridiculous. “If a person is elected coroner, they can crack open a beer and start signing death certificates.”
I rate OCME as 5 out of 5 Stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
I recommend this book not only to fans of True Crime, but also to everyone who wants to be more informed about Public Health, Politics, and/or general nonfiction enthusiasts.
Reading this book and spreading the word about it could be the difference between a murderer being caught or going free. It just might be the reason a killer is caught and the lives of future potential victims are saved.
*** Thank you to #NetGalley and #Edelweiss for providing me with a free advance review copy of this book. ***
*****************************
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Photo by Jennifer Bishop
Bruce Goldfarb was the executive assistant to the Chief Medical Examiner for the state of Maryland, US, where the ‘Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death’ are housed.
He was the public information officer for the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and trained as a forensic investigator.
Bruce began his career as a paramedic before becoming an award-winning journalist reporting on medicine, science and health. Through his work with the Nutshell Studies, Bruce earned the trust of Frances Glessner Lee’s family and caretakers of her estate, and was designated Lee’s official biographer.
To learn more about this author visit the following links:
Since 1994, Steerforth Press has sought to publish books that are written well, intended to engage the full attention of the reader, and have something new or important to say. Our active backlist features timeless works of fiction and poetry, but our current program focuses exclusively on works of narrative nonfiction.
To learn more about this Publisher visit the following links:
New York Times bestselling, Bram Stoker Award-winning author Christopher Golden is best known for his supernatural thrillers set in deadly, distant locales…but in this suburban Halloween drama, Golden brings the horror home.
It’s Halloween night, 1984, in Coventry, Massachusetts, and two families are unraveling. Up and down the street, secrets are being revealed, and all the while, mixed in with the trick-or-treaters of all ages, four children who do not belong are walking door to door, merging with the kids of Parmenter Road. Children in vintage costumes with faded, eerie makeup. They seem terrified, and beg the neighborhood kids to hide them away, to keep them safe from The Cunning Man.
There’s a small clearing in the woods now that was never there before, and a blackthorn tree that doesn’t belong at all. These odd children claim that The Cunning Man is coming for them…and they want the local kids to protect them. But with families falling apart and the neighborhood splintered by bitterness, who will save the children of Parmenter Road?
All Hallows. The one night when everything is a mask.
****************************
****************************
MY REVIEW:
ALL HALLOWS is centered around a single suburban street (Parmenter Road) in the year 1984 and the families who live there. The entire tale takes place over a single day – that of Halloween, also known as All Hallows Eve.
Not only is ALL HALLOWS a horror story, it is also a drama, as well as a commentary on American life in the mid 1980s.
Set in 1984, this horror novel will have readers of a certain age remembering their own lives during the time period in question. Considering the fact that I was in Grade 7 in 1984, the pop culture references were especially nostalgic for me. For example, I remember watching ‘The A Team’ starring Mr. T on television.
Author Christopher Golden seamlessly alternates between several families. He also alternates between each family member’s point of view. This could easily have become confusing to the reader, but Christopher Golden’s writing is perfection.
In fact, it was only upon reflection and the writing of this review that I realized how difficult this type of narrative would be to create. The ability to craft complex plots so seamlessly that the reader does not realize how complicated they truly are is quite simply the mark of a master storyteller. CHRISTOPHER GOLDEN IS THAT MASTER!
People who have little experience with modern horror writers may think of this genre as being all about blood, guts and shock value. This could not be further from the truth and ALL HALLOWS is the perfect example of that fact.
ALL HALLOWS contains several twists and turns in the storyline, as well as converging plots. In addition, the characters are so beautifully rendered that I could easily picture them as being real people rather than just literary characters. In fact, several of them reminded me of people who lived in my neighborhood while I was growing up. Each character is exquisitely developed and has their own secrets, motivations, views on right and wrong, and ties (some secret, some not) to the other characters in the book. This makes for a story with depth and believability, and one that I very much enjoyed.
I was given an advance review copy of the audiobook version of ALL HALLOWS which I thoroughly enjoyed. The use of two narrators; one male, one female, was a great idea. Having two very different actors voice the various characters added authenticity, which in turn increased my enjoyment of the experience.
I will be highly recommending this book to my followers, family, and friends.
I rate ALL HALLOWS by Christopher Golden as 5+ out of 5 Stars. ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
*** Thank you to #NetGalley and to #OrangeSkyAudio for providing me with a free #advance #review #copy of this #audiobook ***
*****************************
****************************
ADD THIS BOOK TO YOUR “WANT TO READ ” LIST ON GOODREADS!
CHRISTOPHER GOLDENis the New York Times bestselling, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of such novels as Road of Bones, Ararat, Snowblind, Of Saints and Shadows, and Red Hands.
With Mike Mignola, he is the co-creator of the Outerverse comic book universe, including such series as Baltimore, Joe Golem: Occult Detective, and Lady Baltimore.
As an editor, he has worked on the short story anthologies Seize the Night, Dark Cities, and The New Dead, among others, and he has also written and co-written comic books, video games, screenplays, and a network television pilot.
Golden co-hosts the podcast Defenders Dialogue with horror author Brian Keene.
In 2015 he founded the popular Merrimack Valley Halloween Book Festival.
He was born and raised in Massachusetts, where he still lives with his family.
His work has been nominated for the British Fantasy Award, the Eisner Award, and multiple Shirley Jackson Awards.
For the Bram Stoker Awards, Golden has been nominated ten times in eight different categories.
His original novels have been published in more than fifteen languages in countries around the world.
To learn more about this author visit the following links:
Originally from the Bahamas, Ron Butler (aka Ronnie Butler Jr.) began his acting career in Washington D.C. at the Arena Stage. After studying with the Atlantic Theater Company (William H. Macy, Felicity Huffman, Scott Zigler), he moved to New York to become a company member. He has appeared in plays and musicals in New York and in regional theaters across the U.S.
In 2002 he moved to Los Angeles, and since has accumulated over a hundred film and television credits, most notably as a series regular on True Jackson VP.
In addition to acting, he’s directed and produced short films, new media projects, an independent feature film, commercial PSAs, and television shows in development.
To learn more about this Narrator visit the following links:
January LaVoy is an Atlanta-based actor, voice artist, and director.
January made her Broadway debut in Lucy Prebble’s ENRON in 2010, and has appeared Off-Broadway in Wings (Second Stage), Coraline (MCC), Measure for Measure (TFANA), Mrs. Murray’s Menagerie (Ars Nova, Lucille Lortel Nomination) Two Trains Running, Home,Funnyhouse of a Negro, and Wakey, Wakey (Signature Theatre).
For her work in Funnyhouse, she was deemed one of two “Actresses to Watch” by Hilton Als in The New Yorker magazine. Selected regional theatre credits include: Mattie Campbell in Joe Turner’s Come and Gone (Mark Taper Forum, directed byPhylicia Rashad), Kate in Good People (Pittsburgh Public Theatre), Isabella in Measure for Measure (Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey), Stella in A Streetcar Named Desire, Dawn in Lobby Hero, and Portia in The Merchant of Venice (Denver Center Theatre Company) and the world premiere of Native Guard by United States Poet Laureate and Pulitzer Prize winner Natasha Trethewey (Alliance Theatre), which was also recorded by LA Theatreworks in 2018. She is a 2010 alumna of the Sundance Theatre Lab.
She has been seen on television in “Blue Bloods”, “N0S4A2”, “Elementary”, and “Law & Order” (classic, CI and SVU), and in 2007 she created the role of Noelle Ortiz-Stubbs on “One Life to Live”, which she played until 2011.
Her voiceover work includes many national commercial campaigns, promos, documentaries, and hundreds of audiobooks. In 2013, she was named Audiobook Narrator of the Year by Publishers’ Weekly. She has been nominated for 18 Audie Awards, receiving 7, and has garnered over three dozen Audiofile Magazine Earphones Awards. In the spring of 2019, she was honored with Audiofile’s Lifetime Achievement Award, the Golden Voice. She shares a 2020 GRAMMY nomination with Meryl Streep and the cast of the Charlotte’s Web audiobook, in which she plays the title role of Charlotte.
She received her MFA from Denver’s National Theatre Conservatory, and has taught audition preparation, scene study, and on-camera technique at Emory University.
To learn more about this Narrator visit the following links:
OrangeSky Audio is an audiobook publisher raising the volume on new ideas, favorite voices, and words that may have otherwise gone unspoken.
Our published works are an exploration of new ideas and hidden gems in popular genres, speaking to adults and children alike.
With the widest retail and library distribution network in the world, we connect listeners of all ages with the stories and narrators they love — and encourage discovery of a next new favorite.
To learn more about this Publisher visit the following links:
Close your eyes, feel the breeze, and follow a young girl as she searches for Freedom through the beautiful landscapes and folklore of her native Ukraine.
Inspired by the resilience of the Ukrainian people to fight back against the invasion of their country, debut author and Ukrainian emigrant Maryna Kariuk brings lyrical rhymes to a powerful message that will kindle any heart.
Immerse yourself in charming illustrations by Ukrainian artist Ksenia Markevych and soar above the roaring rivers, feel the magic of the summer solstice and marvel at the boundless lands and at the spirit of those who call them home.
****************************
****************************
****************************
MY REVIEW:
Debut author Maryna Kariuk may live in California now, but her heart has never left her homeland of Ukraine. Born and raised there, she has crafted a beautiful children’s book highlighting scenes of a Ukrainian childhood.
When Vladimir Putin decided to launch an unprovoked attack on Ukraine, he probably thought his troops would quickly prevail. He could not have been more wrong.
The illustrations in FINDING FREEDOM are simply divine. Ksenia Markevych is a freelance illustrator based in Ukraine and her talent is considerable. She has woven the colors of the Ukrainian flag throughout the book, and the people in the story wear gorgeous and authentic traditional clothing.
The story itself highlights the beauty of the Ukrainian countryside as well as pride in their homes, families, and their country.
I am rating this book as 5 out of 5 Stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ and I believe it would be a wonderful Christmas gift. It would also be a great book to use to show children that people are similar no matter where they live.
*** Thank you to the author, illustrator, the publisher, and to NetGalley for providing me with a free advance review copy of this gorgeous children’s book. ***
****************************
****************************
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Maryna Kariuk is a debut author, born and raised in Ukraine.
The childhood memories of her motherland, especially summers spent in the countryside with her Babusia, have always inspired her to write.
She resides in California with her husband and two children.
To learn more about this author visit the following links:
An eye-opening firsthand account of the ongoing and trailblazing feminist movement in South Korea—one that the world should be watching.
Since the beginning of the #MeToo movement, tens of thousands of women and girls in South Korea have taken to the street, and many more brave individuals took a stand, to end a decades-long abortion ban and bring down powerful sexual abusers—including a popular presidential contender. South Korean feminists know that the revolution has been a long time coming, between battles against its own deeply patriarchal society as well as combating stereotypes of docile Asian women in the Western imagination.
Now, author Hawon Jung will show the rest of the world that these women are no delicate flowers—they are trailblazing flames.
Flowers of Fire takes the reader into the trenches of this fight for equality, following along as South Korean activists march on the streets, navigate public and private spaces full of spycams, and share tips and tricks with each other as they learn how to protect themselves from criminals and authorities alike.
Jung, the former Seoul correspondent for the AFP, draws on her on-the-ground reporting and interviews with many women who became activists and leaders, from the elite prosecutor who ignited the country’s #MeToo movement to the young women who led the war against non-consensual photography and revenge porn. Their stories, though long overlooked in the West, mirror realities that women across the world are all too familiar with: threats of defamation lawsuits to silence victims of assault, tech-based sexual abuse of women and girls, and criminal justice systems where victims’ voices are often met with suspicion and predators’ downfalls are met with sympathy. These are the issues at the heart of their #MeToo movement, and South Korean women have fought against them vigorously—and with extraordinary success. In Flowers of Fire, Jung illuminates the strength and tenacity of these women, too often sidelined in global conversations about feminism and gender equality.
The women written about in FLOWERS OF FIRE embody this quote.
Maya Angelou once said: “Develop enough courage to stand up for yourself and then stand up for somebody else.” The women whose stories are highlighted in this book are the living embodiments of that famous quote.
I don’t think any of us who were born in Canada and who have grown up with the knowledge that we are valuable and that we can be, and do anything, could possibly understand the world of misogyny that is the norm in South Korea. Yes, the patriarchy exists in North America, but not to the extent that it exists in Asian countries.
When the #MeToo movement swept through the United States and Canada, women felt empowered to stand up for themselves and to say “NO MORE.” But, what about women in other countries? What about women who, because of government censorship, had no idea what was happening around the world?
Who was brave enough to stand up and to be the very first woman to tell her story? And, what would happen to her after she came forward? The fear would have been crippling. There was a very real chance that those women would be shunned, shamed, and would be branded as sluts and liars.
I am in awe of the women in this book. They are BRAVE … truly brave in a way that transcends time. Their stories are IMPORTANT.
FLOWERS OF FIRE – The Inside Story of South Korea’s Feminist Movement And What It Means For Women’s Rights Worldwide is not only an enthralling read, but also an extremely important one.
If you think of yourself as a feminist, or even if you don’t, if you care about human rights at all, then you simply MUST Read this book.
FLOWERS OF FIRE is being released on March 7th, 2023 and can be pre-ordered now. I have a feeling that this book will sell out quickly, so I suggest that you preorder it to avoid being disappointed.
I would love to hear back from people after they read this book to discuss the details. I did not want to include any spoilers in my review, but I am dying to discuss it.
5 out of 5 Stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 5 out of 5 Flames
*** Thank you to #Edelweiss for providing me with a free advance review copy of this book. ***
*****************************
*****************************
More than 200 female protesters gather in central Seoul on Feb. 27, calling for women’s representation in South Korea’s presidential election. (Min Joo Kim/The Washington Post)
****************************
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Hawon Jung is a journalist and former Seoul correspondent for the AFP news agency with more than a decade of experience writing about the two Koreas.
She covered the 2011 death of then-North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, the rise to power of his son, Kim Jong-un, the junior Kim’s first summit with Donald Trump, South Korea’s historic presidential impeachment, and K-pop’s rise on the world stage.
Her coverage of South Korea’s #MeToo movement was shortlisted in the 2019 Awards for Editorial Excellence by the Society of Publishers in Asia.
Born and raised in South Korea, she currently lives in Germany with family.
To learn more about this author visit the following links:
Kim Ju-hee protests in August 2021 in front of the National Assembly in Seoul with a sign that reads “Democracy without woman is not a democracy.” ( Min Joo Kim/The Washington Post)
****************************
ABOUT THE PUBLISHER:
BenBella is a marketing-focused, author-friendly publishing house whose success is based on a few simple principles. We select our titles with care. We provide authors with first-class service and genuine partnership. And we provide aggressive, creative marketing for each title we publish.
To learn more about this Publisher visit the following links:
Amie's Book Reviews 