RebeccasReads

Burned

This arresting Norwegian thriller is a fun and fast but intriguing read.   In his debut novel, "Burned," Thomas Enger introduces physically scarred and emotionally damaged Juul Henning, an investigative crime reporter for internet newspaper 123News.  Hesitantly returning to work after a long absence following a fire which left his face badly burned, his young son dead, and his marriage dissolved, Juul has much trepidation facing old colleagues and old routines in the workplace.  Unsure if he still has the impetus to succeed, he quickly finds himself thick into the investigation of what appears to be a radical Muslim ritual death of a young white woman.  He is unfortunately paired to work with Iver Gunderson, the handsome and revered reporter who happens to be ex-wife Nora’s new lover.  Conflicting work style and personal jealousy heighten the tension.
The unclear “honor killing” echoing Sharia law draws attention to the Muslim community, but the unlikely victim and the implausible motive of the crime seem to draw Henning in other directions.  With tips from a resurrected source and good old fashioned gumshoe reporting, he sets out to solve the crime. The reader is provided with surprising and often incredulous twists and turns.

Like Larrson’s "Blomkvist," Juul Henning is a reporter with a troubling past out to unravel the unsolvable case.  Also a bit of a loner, he attempts to maintain journalistic integrity and avoid pulp reporting. Driven by past damage, each is set on a quest.  Both explore social issues as the basis of their stories. Enger regrettably does not develop his locale with rich description of Norway as Larrson did Stockholm, nor does he develop the tension within the complicated relationships of his major characters.  It may seem a bit unfair to compare the authors, but the obvious similarities help create that association.  With that said, Henning is really a very heartbreaking but likeable character.  He has to deal with personal demons but we root for him to succeed, to take that step closer to recovery.  He has the potential to become a recurring central character in more books to come.


Burned
Thomas Enger
Atria (2010)
ISBN 9781451616453
Reviewed by Enid Grabiner for RebeccasReads (1/12)

The Burning Soul

Randall Haight has made quite a quiet, reclusive life for himself living as a respected accountant in the small town of Pastor’s Bay, Maine.  Up until now he has been able to bury his past.  When he was a teenager he and a friend murdered a 14 year old girl.  Having served his time as a juvenile, he was released and given a new identity. After years of escaping his past, he is being taunted by someone familiar with him.  Also echoing the past is the disappearance of another young girl, placing Randall as a prime suspect if his secret should get out.

Private investigator Charlie Parker is enlisted by Randall’s attorney to quietly find out who the blackmailer is.  Tormented by the past murder of his own daughter and the new disappearance of Anna Kore, Charlie finds it difficult to defend a man for whom he has contempt.  A fallen organized mob boss further complicates the case and brings into play old enemies, antagonistic local and federal authorities and the recruitment of recurring allies.

This Charlie Parker novel is a blend of a dark mystery and multi-layered characterization blended into elaborately descriptive backdrops. Lots of twists in the plot keep the reader entertained. As this book is well into a series of thrillers with same protagonist, his recurring buddies and enemies, a new reader often finds himself questioning the back-stories and relationships. There is not enough information presented to fill in the blanks for those unfamiliar with the past books.

The rapid action of "The Burning Soul” is often distracted by long portions of literary descriptive prose.  Despite that negative, the story successfully offers moral conundrums to consider.  How much is objectivity tainted by ghosts from the past?  Can one truly escape his own personal history? As Connolly expresses, “There are some truths so terrible that they shouldn’t be spoken aloud, so appalling that ever to acknowledge them is to risk sacrificing a crucial part of one’s humanity, to exist in a colder, crueler world.”

The Burning Soul
John Connolly
Atria Books (2011)
ISBN 9781439165270
Reviewed by Enid Grabiner for RebeccasReads (10/11)

When Your Child Is Being Bullied: Real Solutions for Parents, Educators & Other Professionals

As an adult most of us have vivid childhood memories of the class bully calling names, threatening, pushing or hitting.   We may have not been the victim but were certainly at one time or another,   bystanders watching the abuse.  Most observers are reluctant to step in for fear of repercussions. The emotional power held by the bully can diminish victimized child’s self-confidence and self-esteem.

Years ago parents let the kids “fight it out” but now this more savvy generation is more pro-active in intervening and promoting resolutions.  They are aware of behavioral signs of agitation and are proactive in getting to the bottom of the problem.  None of this comes about without help from trained educators and therapists who understand the consequences of letting a situation get out of hand.

This book is a how-to guide for parents to train themselves in bully awareness, control and intervention.  Chapters are carefully built upon identifying the reason for the problem, responding to the child, and attending to the resolution.  Parents can educate themselves as to what options are available to protect their child.

There are all sorts of reasons explored that precipitate bullying such as a child’s size, race, weight issues, religion, and financial status to name a few. As a parent you can learn techniques to question and communicate with your child, comfort and support him.  There are guides not only for the parents of the bullied child but also for the parents who have a bully. Sometimes the solution is easy and oftentimes intervention by professionals is necessary. This syllabus provides a building block of avenues to explore for a positive outcome.

When Your Child Is Being Bullied: Real Solutions for Parents, Educators & Other Professionals
J.E. DiMarco and M.K. Newman
Vivishpere Publishing (2011)
ISBN 9781587761812
Reviewed by Enid Grabiner by RebeccasReads (8/11)

Transplant: A Young Woman Struggles to Adapt to Her New Face

Jenny Beaulieu is an active, social young woman enjoying a career in software development when a horrific car accident suddenly destroys her life as she knows it.  Her face is sliced off in the collision, stripping away her ability to eat or speak.  Her face is unbearable to look at and needless to say, her confidence is eclipsed.  She becomes a prisoner in the home she shares with Rob, a boyfriend with whom she has a disintegrating relationship.  She resents his hovering but is reluctant to leave.  Despite the support of family and friends, she hides herself away, masking her face with veils.  Slowly, she forces herself back into the world.  Using a computerized speaking device developed by her colleagues she returns to work.  She learns to deal with the stares and the veils become her façade.

As she is adapting to her changed life, she is offered the opportunity to have a face transplant.  It is a chance for her to have more normal appearing features.  She would be able to breathe more easily, eat normally and speak once more.  It is not an easy road ahead as there are medical side effects and unexpected emotional ones.
Fortunately Jenny realizes she must be her own advocate.  Everyone seems to have his own agenda, not necessarily aimed at her benefit. She asks questions but the doctors and therapists are often condescending and cold. The transplant team, unsympathetic to her need for anonymity, is anxious for her to be their poster child so they can get funding.  Her friends seem to think that this will be an easy fix and question her reluctance.  No one seems to understand that she is fighting for an identity.  It finally takes the compassion of an old friend and a troubled young girl to make her grasp who she really is.

Although the story is fictional, much of the science associated with transplants is incorporated into the story, the reader learning about the medical and emotional impact right along with Jenny.  Neufeld sensitively explores possible results, both positive and negative, reinforcing the fact that advances in medical science should be approached with caution. 

Transplant: A Young Woman Struggles to Adapt to Her New Face
Gerald Neufeld
Novel Voices Press (2011)
ISBN 9780986877315
Reviewed by Enid Grabiner for RebeccasReads (8/11)

Call Me When You Land

Katie is raising her fifteen-year-old son C.J. all by herself. His dad, Craig, walked out years before, too overcome by his own demons to raise a child. When Craig dies, C.J. receives his inheritance: a Harley-Davidson Road King motorcycle. Katie is terrified, C.J. is intrigued. Their strained relationship is further tested.

Katie loves her son, but is struggling to reach him. On the brink of artistic success, she spirals into the abyss of poor choices and low self-esteem.  Her sister, Caroline, cares but her hard shell makes showing affection almost impossible. Katie, just as hardened, only seems to process her life when she’s drunk; sobering up means clamming up. The depth of her sickness is exemplified when a cop pulls her over for drunk driving, “A woman your age shouldn’t be driving around drunk. You say you have a son? I’d be horrified if my mother was out and about like this.” Even when reality smacks her in the face, Katie has an arsenal of excuses and surrounds herself with enablers.

C.J. initially seems like a punk teenager who needs discipline. He’s angry and rebellious, but he lives under the cloud of his mother’s addiction and the knowledge that his father abandoned him. After a particularly revealing confrontation with his mom, C.J. takes off on his Harley searching for answers. He and his mom come back to each other in a very real way; the healing process guaranteed to be as flawed as their history.

Schiavone spins a heartbreaking tale of alcohol, drugs and self-destruction. What this author does so well is build a framework, revealing pieces of the characters’ backgrounds in digestible amounts. Just when I thought I knew a character, the author dug deeper. There was rarely a wasted word, and that’s the highest compliment I can give as a reader.
Beautifully written and well-edited, the author reels you in with methodical care. There is no time to come up for air, and you don’t want to. It’s gripping and real, but there’s hope. Lesser characters would have been crushed by their circumstances, but Schiavone gives his an impressive strength to endure. I highly recommend adding this book to your must-read list. I only wish I could borrow Schiavone’s mastery of language long enough to compel you to read "Call Me When You Land"

Call Me When You Land
Michael Schiavone
The Permanent Press (2011)
ISBN 9781579622213
Reviewed by Tia Bach for RebeccasReads (7/11)

21st Century Great Global Depression: The Perfect Economic Storm

"21st Century Great Global Depression,"  just like the name implies, is intended to scare the reader about the apocalyptical economic crash, which would be inevitable unless urgent action is taken by the American society.

Starting off with a recap of the recent economic crisis, which is still taking place and has taken a major toll on people around the globe, Mr. Harrison introduces the causes to the problem – easy credit, Wall Street crooks, governmental mismanagement of funds, etc. This worrisome truth is backed up by hard facts and examples, without unsupported blabber. Everyone has been affected by the crisis in one way or another, and almost everyone has played a role in accelerating this economic downturn. The excessive consumerism, credit card debt, loans and mortgages, which could not be repaid, are a huge part of the problem. For the most part, Americans lived outside of their limits, living day by day, without much look into the future. This narrow sightedness put the world onto its knees. However, much of this could have been prevented by proper leadership action, explicitly mentioned in the book, quite obvious people. The proper control of the financial sector would have prevented or at least weakened the devastating effects of the crisis. Almost no action was taken by the U.S. government, until after the doom day. And what action has it been! Those at fault were not punished in any way, but even rewarded, while most of the American society ended picking up the bill for all the bailouts and stimuli.

The government and financial sector is presenting the current situation and the near future as very promising with an upwards trend. The author tells the reader an opposite situation. Since there was practically no lesson learned from the recent crisis, without much intervention, a new crisis – “the Global Great Depression” is around the corner. This time, the disaster will have detrimental consequences, possibly destroying America and taking away its prosperity, prestige, and influence. The predictions are incredibly pessimistic and over the top. However, I believe, a bit of exaggeration is supposed to serve as a wake-up call, a hyperbolic call to arms. Action is needed, and the public needs to realize that, making sure their representatives are doing their job.

Overall, the text provides a thorough independent analytical perspective into the economic crisis with an excessively pessimistic foreshadowing of the near future.

21st Century Great Global Depression: The Perfect Economic Storm
Orest Andrew Harrison
Outskirts Press, Inc. (2010)
ISBN 9781432758073
Reviewed by Andrey Bilko for RebeccasReads (6/11)

Glorify Each Day

“Glorify Each Day” by John Banks is not a book that I would pick up just by looking at the cover. By the sounds of the title and looks of the cover, it would appear to be some type of religious or self-help book. Let me assure you, however, that it is neither. Although when I did receive the book I had to flip it over and read the back just to be sure that it was the fictional book that I thought it was. Any of the religious connotations that the title may give will be quickly washed away when you read the opening pages. In them, the main character Tommy (“Teach”) is eight years old and he severely abuses his family pet to the point that he thinks that it is dead. Reading this part made my stomach churn, but I chose to move forward and read on and I am glad I did. What follows is a very gripping story of a man who had never gotten over his first love. He thinks of her constantly and it has a profound impact on his life and on the other relationships that he has. The book goes back and forth between past events in Teach’s life and current day events. He teaches a GED class full of quite an interesting array of individuals whom we get to know better through reading the essays that they write for his class. Banks does a wonderful job at creating a fascinating cast of characters. I really enjoyed the different mix of people and found their lives and insights to be quite thought-provoking. “Glorify Each Day” is quite a unique work of fiction. Banks has woven an intricate novel whose pieces all fit quite neatly together in the end. Although there are some parts in the book that may be offensive to some readers, I believe that the novel is a worthwhile read.

Glorify Each Day
John Banks
819 Publishing (2011)
ISBN 9780983333401
Reviewed by Kam Aures for RebeccasReads (4/11)

Homeless Narratives & Pretreatment Pathways

I just finished reading “Homeless Narratives & Pretreatment Pathways: From Words to Housing” by Jay S. Levy, MSW, LICSW. Overall I found it to be a wonderful book. It is extremely well thought out plus it is laid out in an easy-to-follow and easy-to-understand manner. I liked that it was written in such a way that even those of us who don’t have a degree in Social Work can still understand it. I definitely appreciated hearing the author’s perspective because he actually has extensive first-hand experience from working on the streets and with shelters in New York City, Boston and western Massachusetts. And finally, I liked the fact that he included real experiences and shared moving stories like Old Man Ray, Tracy or Andrew in “Homeless Narratives & Pretreatment Pathways.”

“Homeless Narratives & Pretreatment Pathways” is a book that gives us a peek into the real world of homelessness. Throughout its pages Levy has deftly intertwined true story with theory and practice. He shows us how each individual person and his or her situation is different. He explains how some homeless people can, and do, suffer from untreated mental illness, addiction, and other medical conditions which ultimately lead to a steady deterioration of their health. Many of us have probably wondered at one time or another why homeless people would prefer to live on the street rather than seek help. In “Homeless Narratives & Pretreatment Pathways” Levy uses his personal experiences and stories from homeless people he has worked with during the years to help answer that question. Needless to say while I found “Homeless Narratives & Pretreatment Pathways” to be an eye-opening read; I also found its accompanying statistics to be very sobering.

All in all I would say that Levy did a fantastic job writing “Homeless Narratives & Pretreatment Pathways.” Anyone who reads this will come away with a fresh perspective and hopefully a little more respect for those who are unfortunate enough to have to live on the street. A “must read” for everyone but especially for those looking to have a career in any type of social work or outreach program.

Homeless Narratives & Pretreatment Pathways
Jay S. Levy, MSW, LICSW
Loving Healing Press, Inc. (2010)
ISBN 9781615990269
Reviewed by Charline Ratcliff for RebeccasReads (3/11)

Re-Volt! Our Impending Energy Revolution

Within the next thirty years there is going to be an energy revolution.  It will affect you so you may as well be informed.  In the Introduction to “Re-Volt!  Our Impending Energy Revolution,” Jeremy Gorman tells us that, “This book is your survival guide.  It discloses, explores, and explains not only present practices, but also how we got here and what you must do to make the coming change beneficial.  Better still, Re-Volt! invites your ideas and your solutions to the problems we face.  The problem is immense, but there is no problem too big to solve if we all get involved.  Join in.  You will be involved anyhow, so it might as well be by choice and in support of your goals and aims.” (p.v)

Following this invitation to join in, chemist/chemical engineer Gorman takes an in depth look at many different types of energy available to us, including but not limited to wind, solar, nuclear, and geothermal energy.  I think that Gorman’s book is a very timely one and provides the reader with a plethora of information.  I learned an immense amount about different forms of energy and feel so much more educated about the subject matter than I was before I read the book.

There are so many sources of underutilized and untapped energy in this world and it is time to turn our focus toward them.  As Gorman states, “Oil and coal dominate our energy sources because they are easy to use and because we have already developed the technology to use them.  They have been cost effective.  But they are both finite resources that are being used up.”  (p.129)  It is past time to take a look at the alternatives and Gorman’s book lays many options out for us in a straight-forward and insightful manner.  I recommend “Re-Volt!  Our Impending Energy Revolution” to anyone who wants to educate themselves about the subject matter and to be an informed participant in the imminent energy revolution.

Re-Volt! Our Impending Energy Revolution
Jeremy Gorman
Strategic Book Group (2011)
ISBN 9781609767426
Reviewed by Kam Aures for RebeccasReads (05/11)