Book Review: Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

I have really enjoyed every Kingsolver book I've read, but Demon Copperhead just didn't do it for me. And to be perfectly honest, I skipped part of it.

From the blurb: Set in the mountains of southern Appalachia, Demon Copperhead is the story of a boy born to a teenaged single mother in a single-wide trailer, with no assets beyond his dead father’s good looks and copper-colored hair, a caustic wit, and a fierce talent for survival. Relayed in his own unsparing voice, Demon braves the modern perils of foster care, child labor, derelict schools, athletic success, addiction, disastrous loves, and crushing losses. 

Kingsolver writes well. Her text is interesting. But this book was such a downer. For the first 1/3, I slogged through and then was so happy that things were looking up for Demon. But there was a lot of book to go, so as I continued, at about 60% I realized things were going to get depressing again. I went to the reviews. There are many stunningly glowing reviews. Maybe because this is supposed to be a modern retelling of David Copperfield. (I've never read it.) But when I looked at the more harsh reviews, I realized many people felt the way I did. People who were Kingsolver fans. But I did see that the book's ending was worth reading. So I skipped ahead and read the last few chapters.

I was able to glean pretty much what had happened in the part that I skipped. And, as I suspected, it was horrifying. The book is TOO LONG. It just goes on and on. Same stuff over and over. Same complaints. Same hardships. Lots of substance-abuse-related deaths.

Demon Copperhead wasn't for me. Maybe if you are prepped and in the right frame of mind, you will love it, as many others did. 

Published by Harper, October 18, 2022
eARC obtained from Edelweiss+
370/560 pages

Rating: 3/5

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Audiobook Review: Fairy Tale by Stephen King

Stephen King's latest, Fairy Tale, is a bit different than his usual horror-ish stories, but as I have often said, I will read anything he writes because he can write about anything!

It's a story about a boy, Charlie, who ends up in a fairytale land and must save that land from the evil king who possesses it.

But of course, there is so much more. Charlie ends up befriending the local "old guy with the mean dog whose house is haunted." When Charlie hears the man crying out for help, he calls an ambulance and ends up taking care of the man's dog, Radar. Radar is just a sweet, aging German Shepherd that can hardly make it up the steps to his house. And Charlie soon falls in love with him.

After his convalescence in the hospital, the man, Mr. Bowditch, comes home and Charlie takes care of him, as well as Radar. Bowditch begins to confide in Charlie about his life, his past, and secrets that Charlie can tell no one. One secret is about what is in the shed in Mr. Bowditch's backyard.

Now you can probably see where this is going, and I really don't want to tell you much more. It is a fun adventure story, with lots of danger and many references to fairy tales we are all familiar with -- but this isn't a retelling. King, of course, adds his own twists and turns.

The narrator, Seth Numrich, is perfect. The voices are distinct, but not too much. King, himself, narrates a certain part of the book, and it's amazing. I highly recommend the audio version, if you like audiobooks.

Don't go in expecting the usual spooky, twisted, scary tale that you usually get, and you will be highly entertained by Fairy Tale.

Published by Scribner, September 6, 2022, audio by Simon & Schuster
Audiobook obtained from libro.fm
608 pages

Rating: 5/5

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Book Review: The Prisoner, by B. A. Paris

After reading a few books by Paris, she is fast becoming a go-to author for me. The Prisoner sealed the deal.

I love when a book jumps right in and grabs you from page one. Amelie has been kidnapped and is in a pitch-black room. She can't understand why she has been kidnapped but knows that she might be safer here than if she is freed and must face her husband, Ned, who she is certain will kill her.

We get flashbacks to find out how Amelie met her friends, and through them, her future husband. And the strange way he became her husband. And, then, how she began to fear for her life.

Ned is everything a reader wants in a creepy, dangerous guy. But everything is not as it seems. I was surprised when the kidnapping ends about halfway through the book. The second half is about finding out who the kidnappers were and why. Paris throws in twist after twist and it's a page-turning rollercoaster ride.

As you can probably tell, I thoroughly enjoyed The Prisoner. And if you enjoy thrillers, you should get your hands on a copy. Sure, it's a little far-fetched at times, but I hardly noticed. The surprises make up for it.

Published by St. Martin's, November 2, 2022
eARC obtained from Edelweiss+
304 pages

Rating: 4.5/5

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Book Review: The Good Left Undon by Adriana Trigiani

The Good Left Undone is a beautifully written, heartwarming story. Just what you would expect from Trigiani. I have difficulty writing reviews for literary books such as this, so here is the blurb:

Matelda, the Cabrelli family’s matriarch, has always been brusque and opinionated. Now, as she faces the end of her life, she is determined to share a long-held secret with her family about her own mother’s great love story: with her childhood friend, Silvio, and with dashing Scottish sea captain John Lawrie McVicars, the father Matelda never knew. . . .

 In the halcyon past, Domenica Cabrelli thrives in the coastal town of Viareggio until her beloved home becomes unsafe when Italy teeters on the brink of World War II. Her journey takes her from the rocky shores of Marseille to the mystical beauty of Scotland to the dangers of wartime Liverpool—where Italian Scots are imprisoned without cause—as Domenica experiences love, loss, and grief while she longs for home. A hundred years later, her daughter, Matelda, and her granddaughter, Anina, face the same big questions about life and their family’s legacy, while Matelda contemplates what is worth fighting for. But Matelda is running out of time, and the two timelines intersect and weave together in unexpected and heartbreaking ways that lead the family to shocking revelations and, ultimately, redemption.

I pretty much agree with that assessment, although I'm not sure the revelations were "shocking." It took me a while to get into the book. There is a rhythm between Anina's perspective in the present and Domenica's in the past. It's not just one generation, but three. Dominica is Anina's great-grandmother. Once I figured out the characters and their relationships, I really enjoyed the story.

The Good Left Undone is a love story, a survival story, a war story, and a great story of family. If you are a fan of Trigiani, I would recommend this one. It isn't my favorite of hers (that still remains The Shoemaker's Wife), but I really enjoyed it.

Published by Dutton, April 26, 2022
eARC obtained from Edelweiss+
448 pages

Rating: 4.5/5

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Audiobook Review: Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune

TJ Klune's take on the afterlife in Under the Whispering Door is creative and entertaining.

Wallace is a pretty nasty person. He's a lawyer who only thinks of himself and the bottom line. He has alienated any family or friends he ever had. When he finds himself dead, he simply cannot believe it. He is met by a reaper, who escorts him to a tea shop which is a waypoint between life and death.

Hugo, the owner of the tea shop, and the reaper, May, are there to help Wallace (and others) accept their new state and transition to the afterlife (which is through the Whispering Door on the fourth floor.)

Other residents of the tea shop include Hugo's grandfather and his dog who both are dead, but for some reason have never gone through the door.

The setting and story are very creative and stories of others who have passed through the tea shop, as well as "live" customers, add to the entertainment.  And the budding romance between Hugo and Wallace adds the romantic element.

Kirt Graves is the audiobook narrator and is absolutely perfect for this story.

It isn't sad, and the ending provides more happiness than is maybe deserved. Under the Whispering Door will make you think about death in a different way.

Published by Tor, 2021, Macmillan Audio
Audiobook obtained from Cloud Library
 384 pages

Rating: 4/5

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Book Review: Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan

I usually don't bother to even read the blurb if I see Jodi Picoult's name, and Mad Honey is no exception. As usual, an excellent choice.

The moms, Olivia and Ava, have both had rough relationships and broken marriages. For different reasons, they end up in a small town in New Hampshire.

Olivia's son, Asher, and Ava's daughter, Lily end up in a relationship. When Lily ends up dead, Asher is accused of murder.

That's the short story, but of course, there is much more. Asher's father was abusive and Olivia watches his every move wondering if Asher will show violent tendencies. She has doubts about his innocence.

Lily was born Liam, and maybe that's a spoiler, but if you know Jennifer Finney Boylan, it's not that much of a spoiler. So did Asher know she was trans? Is that why he killed her?

Picoult writes from the perspective of Olivia and Boylan writes Lily's part. The writing is seamless, and I didn't even realize that fact until I read the afterward. Lily's story gave me such a new perspective on gender identity. That was a big takeaway from Mad Honey for me. Another takeaway is a lot about beekeeping, which is Olivia's occupation. Fascinating. And, as a side note, Queen Elizabeth II died while I was reading Mad Honey, and I read an article about how the Queen's beekeeper had to tell the bees that she died. (You'll get it when you read the book.)

The story is gripping and it's been so long since I read a book during which I decided to give up doing something else to read. Lately, it's been the other way around. Mad Honey is a great love story, a murder mystery, a courtroom drama, and a family story.  I loved it and highly recommend it.

Published by Ballentine, October 4, 2022
eARC obtained from NetGalley
464 pages

Rating: 5/5

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Book Review: Properties of Thirst by Marianne Wiggins

Although meandering and detailed, the writing in Properties of Thirst was so enjoyable that this became a memorable reading experience.

Because of the detailed and nuanced story, I thought I would first provide a list of characters, but I decided it was even easier to just give you the description in the Amazon blurb.

Rockwell “Rocky” Rhodes has spent years fiercely protecting his California ranch from the LA Water Corporation. It is here where he and his beloved wife Lou raised their twins, Sunny and Stryker, and it is here where Rocky has mourned Lou in the years since her death.

As Sunny and Stryker reach the cusp of adulthood, the country teeters on the brink of war. Stryker decides to join the fight, deploying to Pearl Harbor not long before the bombs strike. Soon, Rocky and his family find themselves facing yet another incomprehensible tragedy.

Rocky is determined to protect his remaining family and the land where they’ve loved and lost so much. But when the government decides to build a Japanese-American internment camp next to the ranch, Rocky realizes that the land faces even bigger threats than the LA watermen he’s battled for years. Complicating matters is the fact that the idealistic Department of the Interior man assigned to build the camp, who only begins to understand the horror of his task after it may be too late, becomes infatuated with Sunny and entangled with the Rhodes family.

As I said before, the writing makes the setting and characters come alive. While it is set during WWII, and the story is affected by the war, there is much more to it. It is really a story of family, romance, and the connection we have to our land.

It took me a while to get through the 550 pages. While it didn't really call to me to be read, whenever I did pick it up, it was immersive. So yes, I would recommend Properties of Thirst to those who enjoy a meandering, beautifully written historical story of love and family. You book club folks should consider Properties of Thirst.

Published by Simon & Schuster, August 2, 2022
eBook obtained from Edelweiss+
544 pages

Rating: 4/5

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Audiobook Review: Razorblade Tears, by S. A. Cosby

 

Razorblade Tears deserves all the accolades it has received. I was enthralled by this book.

Usually, I talk about the narration at the end of the review, but the audio version made such a difference in my enjoyment. The narrator, Adam Lazarre-White, made the voices so distinct. The accents added authenticity but didn't make the narration difficult to understand. I highly recommend the audio version.

The story is a difficult one -- so to use "enjoy" seems a bit strange when experiencing such an uncomfortable tale. Two married gay men (one is white, the other black) are brutally murdered. Their fathers - who hadn't been able to accept their sons' way of life -- decide to find the killers after the police give up on solving the case.

Both of the fathers have spent time in prison and had been violent offenders. One of them, Ike, had given up this past life and made a name for himself by owning a successful landscaping company. The other, Billy Lee, doesn't have much left so has nothing to lose.

Both of these men feel the need to avenge the deaths of their sons to prove their love since they didn't do a very good job of showing it while they were alive.

There is quite a bit of violence as they tear their way through the awful people who would commit such a heinous crime. It is interesting to see how these men, from such different belief systems, come together and even become friends as they mete out their vengeance.

The characters are interesting, the writing is compelling, and the pace is excellent. I would highly recommend Razorblade Tears, especially the audio version. But don't take my word for it. Everyone else seems to love this book too.

Published by Flatiron Books, 2021, MacMillan Audio
Audiobook obtained from libro.fm
336 pages

Rating: 5/5

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