Book Review — The Last House on Needless Street

Title: The Last House on Needless Street
Author: Catriona Ward
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 978-1-250-81264-3
Opening Lines: "Today is the anniversary of Little Girl with Popsicle."

Rating

"In a boarded-up house on a dead-end street at the edge of the wild Washington woods lives a family of three.

"A young girl who isn't allowed outside, not after the last time.

"A man who drinks alone in front of his TV, trying to ignore the gaps in his memory.

"And a house cat who loves napping and reading the Bible"

"An unspeakable secret binsd them together, but when a new neighbor moves in next door, what is buried out among the birch trees may come back to haunt them all."

~ Jacket copy

Ted loves to watch the birds. Ted would be happy if he could watch the birds all day. The birds make him calm. However, when someone kills the birds, everything starts to change for Ted. Ted's world is upended and things start to crack. His relationship with his daughter becomes more chaotic and heated. His cat—his most precious and prized family member—starts to turn toxic. And, worst of all, he thinks someone has broken into his house. If only the birds had been left alone.

Warning, the following contains spoilers!

Book Review — With the Fire on High

Title:  With the Fire on High Author:  Elizabeth Acevedo Genre:  YA contemporary Pages:  Hardback 388 ISBN:  978-0-06-266283-5 Opening Lines:  "Babygirl doesn't cry when I suck my teeth and undo her braid for the fourth time."

Rating

"Ever since she got pregnant freshman year, Emoni Santiago's life has been about making the tough decisions, doing what has to be done for her daughter and her abuela. The one place she can let all that go is in the kitchen. There, she lets her hands tell her what to cook, listening to her intuition and adding a little something magical every time, turning her food into straight-up goodness.

"Even though she's always dreamed of working in a kitchen after she graduates, Emoni knows that it's not worth her time to pursue the impossible. Yet despite the rules she's made for her life—and everyone else's rules, which she refuses to play by—once Emoni starts cooking, her only choice is to let her talent break free."

~ Jacket copy

After taking a YA literature course in college, I have fallen in love with the genre.  Sometimes the stories tend to be far richer and deal with complex issues.  It is not uncommon to find me reaching for a YA book over anything else.  Frankly, some of the YA horror out there is far more terrifying than anything leading horror novelists write!  In addition, as a middle/high school English teacher, I am always on the lookout for new books to add to my classroom library or suggest to my more reluctant readers.  While cruising Instragram, this book popped up on one of my fav teacher pages.  The premise seemed interesting and the cover art alone was gorgeous!  I quickly ran to the local library and got a copy.
 

The story is about a young girl growing up in Philly and trying to find her way in the world.  Be struggles with acceptance because of race, being a young mother, and her aspirations to be a chef.   

This book was one of the few DNFs.  I truly wanted to like it and feel something for Emoni.  She has huge dreams and wants to rise above the label of "teen mother".  Unfortunately, the resemblance to my favorite Kerry Russell movie was too much for me to overlook.

The first 100 pages of the book fails to tell a story.  There are hints here and there of the author moving the audience to Emoni eventually taking a trip to Spain; however, nothing happens for a third of the book.  One three page chapter will briefly discuss Emoni's first period class and the next will talk about her absentee father.  The constant shift between random stories to build a backstory and her current life disrupts the narrative flow.  As a reader, it is hard to determine whether I am reading a story about a young teen mom talking about her past or trying to show her struggle in the present. 

Emoni is a flat character.  As a reader, you want to find a way to either connect with the protagonist or feel something for them.  When the book opens, however, it feels as though all of Emoni's growth and development happened between her freshman and senior years in high school.  At this point, she has dealt with all of the adversity of being a pregnant teen/struggles with the social stigma and now, at the start of this book, all of her dreams are coming true.  Because of that, there is no true conflict. 

The prose is extremely choppy and rudimentary at best.  Some word choices add a bit of flare; however, they do not fit with the overall writing style.  I found myself shaking my head and completely baffled by many of the word choices.  This is my first venture into Acevedo, so I am not familiar with her writing style.

Honestly, this book has amazing potential and I am exceedingly pleased that people appear to enjoy it!  From what I did manage to read, it shows teens that it is possible to overcome some pretty crazy hardships; however, they need to be willing to put in the hard work and not give up.  For me, however, this book just fell flat and lacked execution.      

Book Review — The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane

Title:  The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane
Author:  Katherine Howe
Genre:  Contemporary fiction
Pages:  Hardback, 362
Publisher:  Hyperion, 2009
ISBN:  978-1-4013-4090-2
Opening Lines:  "Peter Petford slipped a long wooden spoon into the summering iron pot of lentils hanging over the fire and tried to push the worry from his stomach."

Rating

"Harvard graduate student Connie Goodwin needs to spend her summer doing research for her doctoral dissertation. But when her mother asks her to handle the sale of Connie's grandmother's abandoned home near Salem, she can't refuse. As she is drawn deeper into the mysteries of the family house, Connie discovers an ancient key within the seventeenth-century Bible. The key contains a yellowing fragment of parchment with a name written upon it: Deliverance Dane. This discover launches Connie on a quest—to find out who this woman was and to unearth a rare artifact of singular power: a physick book, its pages a secret repository for lost knowledge.

"As the pieces of Deliverance's harrowing story begin to fall into place, Connie is haunted by visions of long-ago witch trials, and she begins to fear that she is more tied to Salem's dark past than she could have ever imagined."

~ Jacket copy

In an attempt to add more structure to our classroom and do something the children want, the teachers in my grade-school classroom sat down with the kids and discussed things we would like to learn about.  During the conversation, a lot of different history topics were brought up.  Having a degree in English and a minor in history, I thought it would be absolutely awesome to read a young adult book about a specific time in history (i.e., The Big Burn) and then discuss the actual historical event.  Honestly, I think I got more into the idea than the kids >.<  Whether that's true or not, I was curious to read young adult fiction or contemporary fiction dealing with the Salem witch trials.  The whole subject was always rather interesting to me, especially since it has almost turned into an American folktale.  And, after doing a subject search on Goodreads, I found this little gem. 

After being accepted into the PhD program at Harvard in Colonial American Studies, Connie Goodwin is contact by her mother.  It appears as though her grandmother's house has finally built up an excess in back-owed property tax that the city is going to start taking action against Connie's mother.  She begs Connie to clean out the house and get it ready for sale.  Unfortunately, Connie is supposed to spend the summer researching for her dissertation and present her topics to her advisor.  This, while proving an interesting opportunity, really throws a wrench in the gears. 

While looking through an old bookcase to determine what books were too badly damaged, Connie stumbles on an old family Bible.  Flipping through the pages yields an old key with an old piece of parchment in the end.  On the parchment is written a phrase—Deliverance Dane—which she presumes is a name. 

Finding this name sends Connie on an amazing adventure to find a primary source for her dissertation and a possible key to the Salem witch trials.  In addition, it could shed an interesting light on the life of women—especially cunning women—in Colonial times. 

This book spends a lot of time in the present; however, the audience is shown the story from Deliverance's POV and that of her daughter and granddaughter.  Even though a lot of time is spent on Connie and the modern world, the author does a wonderful job welding these timelines together.  And, in some ways, show similar struggles in the characters.  In some ways, you can see how Connie is struggling with her different roles in life and new information and Grace's struggles being pseudo mirror images of each other. 

For me, it was obvious that this was the author's first book.  There was a lot of intellectual dialog and syntax.  That isn't an issue for me; however, the average reader might be put off by all of it.  At a few points, I even found myself looking things up.  That being said, having a background in history, I feel as though I had a little added advantage. 

Along with the syntax, I feel as though the characters were a little under developed.  We don't see Deliverance, Grace, and Pru as much as Connie; however, I felt much closer to them.  And they were far more sympathetic.  Connie was too much of a stuck-up, book-wormy grad student.  She was too much of a stereotype, which is an automatic turnoff.  The author could have worked hard to flesh out the love interest.  Just stating that he had a septum piercing and looked as though he was in a grunge band didn't tell me too much about him.  Also, the whole plot surrounding her advisor felt a little too rushed, farfetched, and completely underdeveloped.  A little more character development and time spent around that storyline might have greatly helped it. 

I found myself put off by the time period.  The "modern" portion of the book took place in 1991.  Usually that isn't an issue, but I found myself constantly needing a reminder that it was '91 and not more modern.  Something about the style of writing didn't feel as though it was taking place over two decades ago, nor did she author expressly tell the audience that.  For that reason, the flow of the book was drastically broken for me. 

All of that being said, the author spent a lot of time describing the setting, which made it feel even more real.  She also appeared to know her stuff about the witch trials and doctoral programs.  In addition, she posited some thought provoking theories about the trials and why they may have gotten out of hand.  It definitely had me thinking and looking at occurrences in a completely different way. 

For a book primarily read on van runs, in the bathtub, and before bed, it really turned out to be quite good.  Yes, I had issues with it.  And, yes, it took awhile to dig through.  However, it was entertaining, kept me engrossed, and made me think about things. 

Book Review — The Cold Dish

Title:  The Cold Dish
Author:  Craig Johnson
Genre:   Western mystery/contemporary fiction
Pages:  Oversize paperback, 354
Publisher:  Penguin, December 2004
ISBN:  978-0-14-303642-5
Opening Lines:  "'Bob Barnes says they got a dead body out on BLM land.  He's on line one.'"

Rating

"After twenty-four years as sheriff of Wyoming's Absaroka County, Walt Longmire's hopes of finishing out his tenure in peace are dashed when Cody Pritchard is found dead near the Northern Cheyenne Reservation. Two years earlier, Cody had been one of four high school boys given suspended sentences for raping a local Cheyenne girl. Somebody, it would seem, is seeking vengeance, and Longmire might be the only thing standing between the three remaining boys and a Sharps .45-70 buffalo rifle.

"With lifelong friend Henry Standing Bear, Deputy Victoria Moretti, and a cast of characters both tragic and humorous enough to fill the vast emptiness of the high plains, Walt Longmire attempts to see that revenge, a dish best served cold, is never served at all."

~ Jacket copy

After seeing the ads all over the place and realizing it took place in Wyoming, I did a marathon session of Longmire season one in hopes of catching season two at the get-go.  And imagine my surprise when I discovered it was a series written by an author in Ucross, Wyo.!  Of course, I wanted to read the books; however, buying more novels was really not in my budget.  Unfortunately, Craig Johnson came to our local bookstore for a Q&A session and a book signing.  Since my parents were back in Wyo. visiting and I had gotten them addicted to Longmire, we all went down to the bookstore, bought the first book, and had them signed.  It was a blast!  And Craig is so funny and very personable!  

Three years after his wife's death, Walt Longmire is look forward to possible retirement.  However, if you ask Vik, his transplant from Philly, he really hasn't been present the last three years.  Whether for good or ill, that all changes when the body of Cody Pritchard is found on BLM land by sheep herders.  After the body had been munched by the animals, shit and pissed on by the sheep, and exposed to the elements, it seemed rather hard to rule it as anything but a hunting accident.  However, after close inspection, they discover Cody was shot with a Sharps Buffalo Rifle, which is a collectible antique.  In addition, an eagle feather was left on the body.  Since Cody was part of a group of boys that raped a Cheyenne girl, Walt wonders whether this murder traces back to the reservation and the girl's relatives.

Walt is in a race against time to find the perp and save the remaining boys from the same fate.  However, even though he is a good sheriff, he struggles with the fact that the boys got off with hardly a slap on the wrist.  And there isn't a person in town, including his best friend, who wouldn't have wanted the boys dead.

This was a very interesting start to the series.  I wasn't expecting it the tackle such a huge issue as the rape of a girl with fetal alcohol syndrome.  Further, the hatred of the boys in the town and on the Rez was another big issue to deal with.  Honestly, the author did a good job in handling it.

Walt is a really good, down-to-earth character.  For me, he really seemed like an "every man" in a lot of ways.  He has been the sheriff of a small town for a long time, dealing with the death of his wife, and his daughter lives across the country.  Even though he went to school in California and served in Vietnam, he is still a small town man.  And, to be honest, that is what I like about him.  The author did a wonderful job of capturing the Wyoming native/cowboy.  It was obvious he knew his stuff and was very familiar with the lifestyle out here.

Aside from Walt, Henry practically made the book.  Their relationship, friendly bantering, and Henry's diction had me continue reading.  He is marvelously hilarious!  Plus, it takes a saint to be able to put up with Walt the way he does.  I cannot wait to see more of this character.

The storyline was definitely engaging, and it took me by surprise when we finally find out the identity of the perp.  That being said, I felt it was too loose a fit for who it turns out to be.  Without giving anything away, it is really hard to discuss.  Also, even though the spiritual elements were interesting in relation to the Sharps Buffalo Rifle, it seemed to come out of the blue and rather extraneous while Walt is trying to save George and Henry.  I found myself skipping large sections of text because it just drug on.  Plus, it felt as though Walt was tripping on some heavy narcotics.  And, because it's my biggest pet peeve, there were editing issues.  It didn't distract from the book, but another round of editing would have helped.

After listening to Craig Johnson speak and watching Longmire, I am very curious to see how the series progresses.  It is wonderful to read a book about the state I grew up in and will always love as my home!  He is able to really capture the beauty, magic, and lifestyle of Wyo., and that is refreshing.  

Current Pages: 8836
Current Progress:

31/50 books

Book Review — The Bone Collector

Title:  The Bone Collector
Author:  Jeffery Deaver
Genre:  Fiction, mystery
Pages:  Hardback, 418
Published:  1997
Publisher:  Penguin Group
ISBN:  0-670-86871-X
Opening Lines:  "She wanted only to sleep."
Rating:

"Lincoln Rhyme, ex-head of NYPD forensics, was the nation's foremost criminalist, the man who could work a crim scene and come away with a perfect profile of the killer, frozen in time. Now, Lincoln is frozen in place—permanently. An accident on the job left him a quadriplegic who can move just one finger, a great mind strapped to his bed, mulish and sarcastic, hiding from a life he no longer wants to live.

"Until he sees the crime-scene report about a corpse found buried on a deserted West Side railroad track, its bloody hand rising from the dirt. It belonged to a man who got into a cab at the airport and never got out. Reluctantly, Lincoln Rhyme abandons retirement to track down a killer whose ingenious clues hold the secret to saving his victims—if Rhyme can decipher them in time.

"The search leads him to the Bone Collector, whose obsession with old New York colors every scrap of evidence he leaves for Rhyme and his new partner, Amelia Sachs, whom he drafts as his arms and legs. But she's never worked a crime scene in her life—and he can only whisper in her ear as she does the exacting work he lvoed more than anything else."

~ Jacket copy

Thoughts:  On my seventeenth birthday, my parents (my mother was rather reluctant) took me to see The Bone Collector.  My mother sat through the whole movie with her hands covering her eyes, and my father and I were riveted.  I loved the movie.  I loved the combination of Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie.  However, I kind of lost track of the movie.  When HBO started airing it this past December, I decided to read the book.  Luckily, the local library happened to have a copy of the book!  Unfortunately, since I've been battling a nasty virus, it has taken me a long time to actually finish the book.

While walking her last beat, dispatch sends Amelia Sachs to the scene of a supposed crime.  What she finds is a mutilated hand rising from the ground.  Falling back on her academy training, she immediately seals of the area in hopes of preserving the scene and keeping any physical evidence intact.  Since there is a UN conference in NYC, her boss is quick criticize her actions and dismiss her concerns.  However, once the case is brought to retired Lincoln Rhyme, her quick thinking brings her to the forefront of his mind.  And, even though she is a beat cop about to be transferred to Publication Relations, Rhyme wants her to be his arms and legs while walking the grid as they chase an unsub that could be a serial killer.

I loved the character development in the book.  With little things like Amelia's love of fast cars and her nervous habit of picking at her fingers, he was able to make the character believable and three dimensional.  Further, it was neat to see how Rhyme and Amelia were able to grow through the book, and, in some ways, become different/better people.  After suffering from a debilitating accident, Rhyme was struggling with his new role and had a hard time finding a place in his life.  Through the work on the case and his connection with Amelia, he was able to recapture some semblance of life.  It was very neat to see him go through the change.  The way it was written, as a reader, I felt much closer to the character.

The law enforcement jargon was awesome!  When they talked about running prints and car plates through NCIC, I got excited.  After working emergency dispatch for awhile, it was nice to be able recognize some of the lingo and know what they were talking about.  That being said, however, a lot of the things were never fully explained and could easily cause confusion.  Even though Deaver had a lexicon in the back of the book, I felt he didn't do a good job having entries in it to explain all of the things he was discussing through the course of the novel.

The novel was suspenseful and kept me on the edge of my seat.  Several times I found myself staying up way too late reading "just one more page."  If you're reading this because of the movie, they are different.  Some of the crimes are similar, but there are a lot that were left out of the movie.  The motivation behind the killings is not the same, Amelia has a different last name and looks different, and so on.  That being said, I still loved the book!

Current Pages: 418
Current Progress:

1/50 books

Book Review — Lolita

Title:  Lolita
Author:  Vladimir Nabokov
Genre:  Fiction/Classic
Pages:  Hardback 327
Published:  1955
Publisher:  Campbell Publishing Ltd.
ISBN:  0-679-41043-0
Opening Lines:  "Lolita, light of my life, fire of my loins.  My sin, my soul."
Rating:

"When it was published in 1955, Lolita immediately became a cause of célèbre because of the freedom and sophistication with which it handled the unusual erotic predilections of its protagonist.  But Vladimir Nabokov's wise, ironic, elegant masterpiece owes its stature as one of the twentieth century's novels of record not to the controversy its material aroused but to its author's use of that material to tell a love story almost shocking in its beauty and tenderness.

"Awe and exhilaration—along with heartbreaking and mordant wit—abound in this account of the aging Humbert Humbert's obsessive, devouring, and doomed passion for the nymphet Dolores Haze.  Lolita is also the story of a hypercivilized European colliding with the cheerful barbarism of postwar America, but most of all, it is a meditation on love—love as outrage and hallucination, madness and transformation."

~ Jacket copy

Thoughts:  At some point, my father told me that his mother would not allow him to read Lolita.  I cannot remember if it was before or after I chanced upon the Jeremy Irons rendition of the film.  Either way, that started my love affair of Lolita.  Something that could grab my father's attention, bring my grandmother's disapproval, and capture Jeremy Irons had to be worthwhile.  However, for some reason or the other, I never got around to reading the book.  A few weeks ago, after reading an article on my phone, Lolita was brought back to my mind.  Spending a few minutes on my local library's website, I was happy to learn that they had a copy of the book!  And thus began my adventure with Lolita and the lovelorn Humbert Humbert.

Lolita is a hard book to discuss.  The subject matter alone is enough to cause one to curl their toes in disgust.  The idea of a 37 year-old man falling in love with a 12 year-old girl is rather startling.  More so was his devious way of getting close to the young girl, becoming her stepfather, and taking her on a cross country road trip after her mother died.  However, for all of the fault people can and will find with this book, I found myself enjoying it.  Vladimir has a way with words.  The prose in this book is simply remarkable.  Even though, at some level, I wanted to despise Humbert, I found myself feeling somewhat sorry for him at the end.  To me, that is the mark of a master storyteller.

Reading a lot of reviews, people are torn between the true villain in the story.  Some believe that Humbert was just Lolita's victim and not at fault for his actions.  While some view him as the ultimate sexual predator.  While I read this book, I kept both view points in mind, and I think both parties fall short.  Even though his actions were deplorable, I place a lot of the blame with Lolita's mother, Charlotte.  I am not sure where it started, but, by the time Humbert enters the picture, Charlotte seems to be fostering severe feelings of hate for her daughter.  She is constantly picking on Lo, she fills out surveys to describe the girl as horrid, she makes of a point of calling Lo "plain," and so on.  When it is obvious that something might be brewing between Humbert and Lo, she quickly sends the girl away to summer camp because she does not want competition for the affections of a handsome European.  Further, she seeks to send Lo away to a boarding school until she graduates.  Even Humbert himself remarks on these actions towards the girl.  When Charlotte discovers incriminating evidence in Humbert's desk, she still seeks to blame the child.

Coming from a family life where she lost her father at a young age and living with a mother who hates her, it is easy to see why Lo grabs onto Humbert.  He is a dashingly good looking European male.  He seems charming and gives her attention.  He does not scold her for normal childlike behavior.  It makes sense to me that she would flirt with him and so forth.  However, at some level, I think she knew full well what game she was playing.  That being said, at 12 years-old, she had not way to understand the ramifications of the game.  And, as the story progresses, I was left to wonder whether the child was horribly damaged by other past occurrences—things that would make a young girl think the only way to get attention from a male was through sex.

None of this is to say that Humbert was in the right.  From the onset of the book, he makes it clear that he knew he was in the wrong.  Knowing and continuing to act on something is disgusting!  Further, his constant justifications disturbed me.  Just because a love affair with a 12 year-old was common in the Middle Ages doesn't mean it is acceptable now.  (Also, the comment about Sade's Justine made my skin crawl.)  At many points during the book, I found myself wishing that Lo would tell one of her friends or someone would find out.  It was not fair to rob Lo of a childhood, because Humbert was in love with her.  That being said, I found myself feeling somewhat sorry for Hum at the end of the book.

The beginning and ending of this book will stay with me.  I am not sure how to describe the ending without giving anything away.  Let's just say, when all was said and done, in his own way, Hum truly loved his Lolita.

I truly loved this book.  It is hard to read and not for the faint of heart.  I would not suggest this book to most people; however, if you can get by the subject matter, I think it is well worth the read.        

Current Pages: 13,343
Current Progress:

42/50 books

Book Review — The Car Thief

Title:  The Car Thief
Author:  Theodore Weesner
Genre:  Fiction
Pages:  Oversize paperback, 387
Published:  2012 (originally in 1972)
Publisher:  Astor + Blue Editions LLC
ISBN:  978-1-938231-00-1
Opening Lines:  "Again today Alex Housman drove the Buick Riviera.  The Buick, coppertone, white sidewalls, was the model of the year, a '59, although the 1960 models were already out."
Rating:

"Set in Detroit in circa 1959, the protagonist, sixteen-year-old, Alex Housman has just stolen his fourteenth car and frankly doesn't know why.  His divorced, alcoholis, working class father grinds out the night shift at the local Chevy Plant looking forward to the flask in his glove compartment—

"Fighting to survive, Alex and his father face the tough realities of estrangement, youth detention, and even violence as their lives hurtle toward a climatic episode."

~Jacket copy

Thoughts:  First off, I received this book as an ARC from the publisher for a fair an honest review.  Reading the synopsis and all of the favorable reviews, I had high hopes for this book.  Unfortunately, I was extremely disappointed.  I found myself struggling through this book and bribing myself into reading "just one more page."

I found that I could not make a connection with this book.  Not being from the era where the story takes place, I felt a huge gap and separation from the story.  Further, I continually felt bogged down in pointless details.  He uses up too much space with seemingly meaningless details.  Whatever the author was trying to do, he failed.

According to many reviews, this book is heralded as being the coming of age novel of the 20th century.  And, I'm sorry, but I really doubt that.  This book lacks a timelessness that makes other novels classics.  It may be powerful and change the world in its time, but it will not be a classic if it cannot appeal to future generations.

Alex was extremely one dimensional.  I felt no emotion from the character.  While I grant that this could have been an intentional literary device, it made the character unreachable and very unsympathetic.  His apathetic attitude towards stealing and being in juvenile detention made it impossible to understand the character.  For me, I felt closer to him when he was frantic over the police possibly coming to his house.  Before and after, nothing.  Normally, the reaction he received once he returned from school would have made my blood boil; however, I was unable to muster feelings or regard for Alex.  His poor characterization made it impossible to really care what happened to him.

To me, it feels as though the author is trying to read a new generation of readers with this novel; however, it lacks something to make it accessible.  It is definitely a product of its time, and I don't see it as being anything else.  


Currently: Blood Rites by Jim Butcher, Sacrifical Magic by Stacia Kane, & listening to Fifty Shades Freer by E.L. James
Current Pages: 9370
Current Progress:

27/50 books

Book Review -- Coyote Blue

Title:  Coyote Blue
Author:  Christopher Moore
Genre:  Fiction
Pages:  Oversize paperback, 303
Published:  1994
Opening Lines:  "While magic powder was sprinkled on the sidewalk outside, Samuel Hunter moved around his office like a machine firing out phone calls, checking computer printouts, and barking orders to his secretary."

"As a boy growing up in Montana, he was Samson Hunts Alone -- until a deadly misunderstanding with the law forced him to flee the Crow reservation at age fifteen. Today he is Samuel Hunter, a successful Santa Barbara insurance salesman with a Mercedes, a condo, and a hollow, invented life. Then one day, shortly after his thirty-fifth birthday, destiny offers him the dangerous gift of love -- in the exquisite form of Calliope Kincaid -- and a curse in the unheralded appearance of an ancient Indian god by the name of Coyote. Coyote, the trickster, has arrived to transform tranquillity into chaos, to reawaken the mystical storyteller within Sam ... and to seriously screw up his existence in the process."

~ Goodreads

Thoughts:  If Coyote is your spirit guide, cash in your chips because you're screwed!

I have been meaning to read Christopher Moore for years!  However, a few weekends ago when my brother was in town, he brought up this book.  The way he talked bout it, described it, etc., made me curious enough to find it at our local library.  And, boy, I am glad I did!

The book starts out with Samuel Hunter, a well-to-do insurances rep.  While going to a meeting with a very wealthy client, he stumbles upon Calliope Kincaid.  And, after that fateful meeting, his life is forever changed.  Honestly, it is hard to describe the book without giving too much detail away!

Through the course of the book, the reader learns that Samuel Hunter started out as Samson Hunts Alone who was born/raised on the Crow reservation in Montana.  After a run-in with the one of the local asshole res security men, Samson is forced to run away at only 15 years-old.  Even though he doesn't have any prospects, he is brought under the wing of Aaron Aaron, an up-and-coming big shot in insurance.  And, the amazing thing is, Samson—now Samuel—is still only 15!

The book is a mix between the past and the present.  Moore did a good job mixing them.  It helps the reader to see how Sam's past is shaping his future.  You learn that on a vision quest, Sam's spirit guide is Old Man Coyote.  And, even though he doesn't put much stock in it, Coyote has taken it upon himself to help Sam.  That is where the story takes off in weird, crazy, and laugh-out-loud situations.

I loved the way Moore wrote Coyote!  Being a trickster god, I was wondering how he would portray him.  Even though Coyote is extremely smart, he kind of acts like a child.  What I found interesting was how Coyote disrupted Sam's life.  Many of the adventures causes the reader to shake their head and wonder why this is happening; however, at the end of the book, it becomes obvious that Coyote really taught Sam how to live and love life.  He was stuck in a dead-end life, had no real future, and was not an active participant in his life.  Meeting Calliope, who is an extremely strange girl, and dealing with Coyote gave him the ability to finally discover who he was.

Another thing, I loved the myths of Coyote that were interspersed throughout the book.  It was a good way to give the reader a road map. Also, they were funny as hell!  I think I read all of them to my husband!  We ended up holding out sides while laughing.

There isn't too much that can be said about this book without giving everything away.  It was a good read, was a good mix of comedy and drama, the paced was good, and I couldn't put it down!  If you haven't read Moore, I highly recommend this book! 

Rating:
Currently: Mark of the Demon by Diana Rowland
Current Pages: 6490
Current Progress:

18/50 books